Tips For Successful Planter Boxes By Tonya Kerniva At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Finding someone who doesn’t like flowers is like finding someone who doesn’t like sunshine. The uplifting and beautiful colors and blooms brought on by the multitude of flower species are what makes planter boxes so popular, especially in urban centers where green space is scarce. It’s not only flowers that people plant, though. There are some incredible edibles that you can grow easily at home in your window sill or freestanding planter boxes. What exactly should one plant in these mini-gardens? Herbs, vegetables and flowers tend to flourish in this environment. Here, along with what types to plant are a few helpful hints on how to do it. So even if you’re guilty of killing everything your butterfingers touch, there’s hope yet to turn you into a green thumb.

For starting out, herbs are practically foolproof and their smaller sized plants fit perfectly in compact planter boxes. Place them indoors, outdoors, in most any kind of sunlight. It’s hard to mess these guys up. As a starter, try your hand at cilantro, basil, chives or whatever your favorite spices are. There is absolutely zero comparison between the taste of dull, store-bought dried herbs and fresh from the garden herbs. And if you’ve bought fresh herbs from the grocer, you know how expensive they are and how quickly they wilt in the fridge. The best part is, once the weather turns cold, smaller planter boxes can be brought indoors for yearround fresh herbs.

If you’d like to try your hand at something a little more substantial, consider the possibility of fresh vegetables. In general, planter boxes, especially the kind that hangs from window sills, are not large enough to accommodate vegetables. However, there are some freestanding boxes available on the market that are larger in size and can fit smaller plants. Tomatoes and some pepper varieties like banana peppers and jalapenos work well in confined spaces and under varying degrees of sunlight.

Flowers, though by far the most fun thing to plant owing to their endless color and variety combinations, can also prove the most tricky to aspiring gardeners. A good thing to do is plan ahead what flowers to plant where so when they grow you have aesthetically pleasing patterns and colors. What also goes well with flowers are bits of green foliage mixed throughout for added contrast and leaf patterns. When choosing between perennial and annual flower types, it’s really up to personal choice, and many people plant both. Also, if you’re interested in the Japanese practice of Feng Shui, placing red flowers by the front door brings harmony and good fortune.

When you get to the flower nursery, don’t be overwhelmed by the multitude of types, their meticulous care instructions, etc. Just remember what flowers and plants require what amount of sunlight, depending on where you place your planters boxes. Also, the biggest rookie mistake is to overwater plants. Read the instructions that come with each plant and you’ll be blooming in no time. Here’s a quick cheat sheet on what perennial flowers work best where and with what plants.

For flowers that grow in shaded areas, choose from the following:

Periwinkle, Phlox, Sweet Pea, Viola, Astilbe, Bleeding Heart, Blue Bells, Daylily, Geranium, Lily of the Valley, Trillium, Peonies, and Trinity Plant.

For a greener touch, pair mainly with a variety of ferns and Hosta. Ivy and Moss also prefer this environment

For Partial Shade:
Begonia, Bleeding Heart, Columbine, Daisies, Daylily, Foxglove, Geranium, Lily of the Valley, Peonies, Phlox, and Roses

Partial shade leafy plants:
Ferns, Hosta, Snow-on-the-Mountain, Wintercreeper and grasses

For all-day direct sunlight:
Aster, Baby’s Breath, Black Eyed Susan, Blue Bells, Carnations, Daisies, Delphinium, Lavender, Geranium, Hibiscus, Iris, Lily, Mums, Peonies, Phlox, Poppies and Yucca.

Plant with:
Hosta, Hens and Chickens or various grasses

Some plants and flowers, including phlox, hosta and peony appear in each category of the list. That’s because they thrive in practically every amount of sunlight. Novice gardeners may want to start out planting these heartier varieties before moving onto more time and care-intensive flower types.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=373756&ca=Gardening

Important Notice DISCLAIMER: All information, content, and data in this article are sole opinions and/or findings of the individual user or organization that registered and submitted this article at Isnare.com without any fee. The article is strictly for educational or entertainment purposes only and should not be used in any way, implemented or applied without consultation from a professional. We at Isnare.com do not, in anyway, contribute or include our own findings, facts and opinions in any articles presented in this site. Publishing this article does not constitute Isnare.com's support or sponsorship for this article. Isnare.com is an article publishing service. Please read our Terms of Service for more information.