5 Tips for Planting Your Perfect Patio Garden

Good morning everyone!! It’s springtime, which means I am getting our patio all set for the season. Today on my Instagram account you’ll see how Team Jilly helped me style our front door patio. I think it looks so adorable with the planters around our console and, of course, our Jilly Digital print front and centre! In light of this transformation, I am re-posting this blog that I shared several years ago for ideas on how to get your patio garden going. Enjoy!

If you follow along on my Insta stories you’ll know that over the last few weekends Justin and I have been spending a lot of time out in our yard! We’ve been busy getting our garden beds prepped to plant our favourite fruits and veggies again this year!

While we still have a lot of prepping to do … it’s really starting to come together thanks to a few late nights, dirty hands, and a little help from the team at Bylands Nurseries!!

Bylands Nurseries is one of my favourite places to visit in Kelowna when it comes to all things gardening and plants! Not only do they have a massive selection (and make beautiful arrangements on very short notice … LOL!!), but they’re ridiculously down to earth and so HELPFUL!!

Back in 2018 when I visited their garden center as I was looking for some inspo when it came to our yard! Not only did they take me for a little tour around their nursery but they also created some stunning planters for us based on a little info from me!! I told them the colours I loved, the colours/plants I didn’t love so much and the style I was hoping for and they took my vision and ran with it … actually, they took my vision and PLANTED IT. LOL!!

Now, this isn’t just a blog on my experience with Bylands and my planters … I thought it would be super helpful for anyone wanting to brighten up their outdoor space to get some tips from the pros when it comes to getting the most out of your planters! Sooooo, without further adieu, below are FIVE fantastic tips from the Bylands team!!

PS. They also ship their product to Garden Centres across Western Canada, so make sure to call and ask for their product at your local Garden Centre! You can also check out their Instagram for tips, inspiration, and ideas!

Okay, here we go!

Tip #1: Picking the Plants

When selecting your plants, consider where you are putting your planter, as some plants are better in shade, part shade/sun, or direct sun (the plant’s label will tell you). Outside of that, really anything goes but landscape experts often recommend starting with a tall upright plant (like a grass or canna lily), adding some medium-height plants that stand out (like daises, petunias, or coleus) and then adding a few trailing plants (like ivy, potato vine, or bacopa) for the right balance. Veggies and herbs can grow well in planters if you’re looking for fashion and function.

Tip #2: Prepping the Planter

You can pretty much plant into anything as long as it has proper water drainage. If you have a large pot, fill the bottom third with drainage material like pebbles, shipping “popcorn” or aluminum cans. They will help take up some space, so you will require less soil, improve drainage and also reduce the weight if you choose a lighter material. If the planter you buy doesn’t have drainage holes at the bottom, you want to make some so water can escape. To avoid staining your deck or patio from leaking water, put a saucer underneath your planter.

Tip #3: Selecting the Soil

Regular garden soil often lacks the nutrients needed for plants grown in containers – so look for “potting mix” or “potting soil.” If the soil you select does not contain compost or fertilizer, add some fertilizer like 20-20-20 slow release by following the instructions on the label.

Tip #4: Put Those Plants In

Making planters isn’t intuitive to most people, so here is the process! Put the drainage material in, followed by the soil. Don’t tap it down at this point, as you want to add plants to it. Set the plants on the surface of the dirt to get an idea of the “look” you are creating. Then remove them from the pots and settle them into place and gently tap down the soil. Add more soil as needed to bring the level of the soil surface to within 1.5 inches from the top. Make sure the base of the plant where the root starts is level with the soil surface in your planter; when planted too deep, plants can suffocate.

Tip #5: Get the Right Planters by the Right Maintenance

The key questions with watering are, “When?” and “How much?” Water when the surface of the soil feels dry. When you are watering, water enough so that some water escapes from the drain holes at the bottom of the pot. During the summer months, planters may need watering several times per day, depending on the size of the planter, the weather and the location. Early in the morning is the best time to water, as the water doesn’t evaporate so quickly! To get the lushest foliage, make sure to fertilize every 2-3 weeks or so.

There you have it!! I hope you found this helpful!! If you have any questions, make sure to leave them below … or, better yet, use the pros! Garden Centre professionals are experts with these projects and questions!!

xo

Jilly

Thank you Bylands Nurseries for sponsoring this post. All comments and opinions are my own.