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nixonk - i don't know if that's true for all containers or not. your deck looks like it's covered - is it? on my (covered) balcony, everything stretches toward the sun, so i do, from time to time, rotate my containers, to keep them in balance. wouldn't think that those folks with their pots out in the open yard would have to do that ... but i really don't know for sure.

mikeinmo - NICE containers plantings! luv the banana! what's the tall plant in the pot on the step?

PV

pvick:

Yeah, my deck is covered but it is also south and west facing. It is not so much the plant stretching towards the light as it get a fair amount of light but that some plants that are almost always blocked by the taller plants that needs the rotation to get into the light (so to speak).

Thanks PV, do you mean the purple plant? That is a coleus. But the "bells" from the coral bells are in front of it.It has ver thin leaves. I had not seen one like that before. I am already starting clippings so I can have it again next year in case I can't find it again.
Mike

Thanks, Mike - I did mean the bells; didn't realize they were coming from the coral bells beneath, thought they were a separate plant. Duh. Very pretty.

nixonk - I get what you mean now. Yeah, the thrillers soemtimes tend to be a bit thuggish and overwhelm their companions. I tend not to do many mixed pots any more, for that reason. Plus, I'm really into perennials and do more single plant type pots ....

PV

Just got back from vacation and am glad to see this thread is still happening. You won't believe who was visiting my containers tonight!!!

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He was on the Agastache Acapulca salmon & pink!!!

Pam

Great pictures, Seafire! I am still waiting to see my first hummer.

Its not a hummer, Its a Hummingbird Clearwing Sphinx Moth !! A BUG not a Hummingbird. Amazing isn't it?

Pam

That IS amazing! I was kinda thinking that it was a rather chubby hummingbird. Now, that's a bug that's a keeper (hate/fear bugs).

Here're my litle container "garden".

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Here are some of mine on the back deck and front entry. The purple fountain grass has really come alive in the two weeks since I too the pictures. This is the first time that I put in an effort to do more that just have some plants in pots. It was difficult this spring to locate all the plants I wanted at the same time for planting. I ended up doing a lot of substituting.

My pics got lost. Trying again

Sorry. I copied tag line to name of link instead of below text. Hopefully third time is good.

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Very nice, stevega!
I especially like the 2nd pic with the Million Bells!
Lookin' good!

You all have some gorgeous containers, getting ideas for next year. Here are some of mine in their current state:

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Mine are not so varied as yours are - I've got mostly petunias this year but I mixed in some other interesting things like salvia and asparagus fern. Its a bright spot on my front patio though!

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enjoy!

stevega - such pretty combos. I'm with OOS - that million bells combination is gorgeous!

justaguy2 - nice containers! like the succulents ...
Is that purple millet in your last pic?

scoobagirl - your petunias are beauts! I didn't do any petunias this year - now I miss them!

I sure wish I got more sun up here!

PV

Is that purple millet in your last pic?

It's actually Jester Millet which is related to Purple Majesty Millet, but Jester forms a clump of stalks whereas Purple Majesty forms a single stalk.

I did Purple last year and liked it, but wanted to try the clumping form this year.

All these wonderful containers. I think next year I am going to go bolder.

Here's a small container in my north facing porch with early morning and late afternoon light. The container has fuschia, tornia, coleus, and golden creeping jenny.

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So, while this is not a flower in a container, it is a Triple Crown blackberry bush in a 24" container. It is three years old and produced some good berries for me this year. I shared these photos on another forum; thought I would add to the thread here.

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By metalfillboy, shot with Canon PowerShot A400 at 2007-07-08

What the plant looked like when first planted.

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By metalfillboy, shot with Canon PowerShot A400 at 2007-07-08

Close up of some berries. Mmmmm.... :o)

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By metalfillboy, shot with Canon PowerShot A400 at 2007-07-08

jethrojames,

Can you tell me how you have nurtured your blackberry bush to be so productive? I also have had one (don't recall the name but it's a thornless variety) growing in a container for about three years and it's still a scrawny bush with about 10 berries. The three I got to eat were sweet-- I think the birds got the remainder of the berries.

vabreeze

Newest addition to the container family (mark downs :))
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Shrimp plants

Pam

Great pictures of your containers, I usually just look at but heres afew of mine. {{gwi:38833}}{{gwi:38834}}{{gwi:38835}}

Hello vabreeze!

The two things I seem to be doing right is watering and feeding.

The first year and second year, I did not fertilize the plant very well. So last year, I started feeding it better. I used a couple of slow release fertilizer spikes, and the plant responded very well to it. This spring, I started feeding it with 2 gallons of water soluble fertilizer every week during the spring, then backed off to every other week; I was afraid of feeding it too much (Can you burn the roots of a plant this way??). I did not get an exact measure, but I think I got around a gallon of berries this year.

As with any container plant, watering is very important. I have kept mine automatically watered by using a design of my own. However, I would think a drip irrigation on a timer could be setup to give the plant all the water it needs.

Finally, there is pruning. I am doing this for the first time this year. I have already pruned the canes that fruited this year. This give the plant more energy to produce more new primocanes. Take a look at the Fruit & Orchard forum for more information on pruning. Also look there for a post of mine about this plant in a container.

Hope this helps. Below is a link to a PDF put out by NC State on growing blackberries in NC. I am sure it can apply to your area also.

Good luck!

P.S. If you can, get some bird netting for your plant. What few I got last years, the birds beat me to them. The netting really helped this year!

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Blackberries in North Carolina

Hi Jethrojames,

Thanks for the pointers and the link. I have never pruned my BB at all and haven't been nearly as vigorous as you with fertilizing it. At first, I thought yours was in the ground. I never envisioned vines like that from a containered bush. Glad you posted that picture-- I am already looking forward to lots of blackberries next year! Thanks again.

vabreeze

mine.. I have a pair of these on my front porch

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Karen-That's a WOW from me. It's modern art. The perspective makes the angles on the leaves match the corners of the planter. The dark green leaves in the center add great depth. I can't stop looking at it. Thanks

Karen, that is beautiful. You can find picts of my planters at the beginning of my webpage.

Danni

Here is a link that might be useful: Danni's Garden 2007

I'm new here although I have been lurking for a couple months and am glad I have been. I didn't know about the 'Thrill, fill and spill.' method till I came here today how neato. I'd love to post some pics of my container gardening and am going to try. Please forgive and advise if I go awry... TIA ;o) I tried and I don't want to go paste them into photobucket so am providing a linke to my slide show... I hope...

Here is a link that might be useful: My container garder

Trying again with the posting pics...You all have some beautiful plants BTW!!

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My first Dahlia to bloom this summer

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Cosmo Bloom

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I have many more pics but feel like I'm hogging space as it is. Thanks for sharing and all the great ideas for next year!

Hello all! I'm so excited to have found this forum! You all have such gorgeous container gardens that I'm drooling with jealousy.

I'm way behind all of you - I just moved into my condo (yay!) a month ago, so got a very late start. I got four flower boxes set up on my balcony before doing any unpacking, though. Good thing my priorities are in order!

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The sad empty-looking pot in the lower right hand corner is clematis. I'm going to start another thread to ask for some tips on that one. :0(

My anagallis is thriving, but my petunias and brachycome (sp?) aren't giving me as much love as I'd like. Ah well, maybe I'll have better luck next year.

Hi Cindywho2U,

Nice plants! After the pix of the dahlia, what's that plant that's blooming profusely with white/pink center flowers? It's very pretty.

vabreeze

Hi Vabreeze, Thanks. It is a Lavatera I just love it, I'd have to go look and see the variety but it is a perennial. I just trim it up in the winter then wait for the show that usually starts around July 4 here ;o) I thought I had titled that one too, I guess I missed it...

Just went and looked and it is lavatera barnsley. I've had it for quite a few years. This year it had these cluster bud, looking things near the base, that if you touched would fall off. So I took them and dipped them in root tone and planted them and guess what they're growing, So in a few years (and If I don't kill the babies off) I'll have another fourth of July show...

Since living on a military base I also have a lot of containers... here's a few, I hope you enjoy!

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Tuffiffe

Nice job. I love what you have done.

Danni

Hi Cindywho2U,

Your response was just what I was hoping that plant would be! I purchased the same plant from Parks this summer. I think it was shipped to me in a 3" pot. It's now about a foot or so tall. I hope it'll bloom this summer--here in VA, it's still hot in September and warm in October. After seeing yours, I can't wait to see what mine will do.

Vabreeze

hi tuffifee,

love the way you can pack a container--looks great!!!

vabreeze

Thanks for the kudos. I am new to gardening and still have to learn a lot... Like NOT to put sweet potato vines in containers - they just take over everything, like this one here:
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But there is one more container I would like to share, it started out in a hanging basket, i wasn't thinking about the height when I put the coleus in, but now it is my favorite:
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tuffifee,

You just gotta get bigger containers for your SPVs and the other plants! I love both SPVs and coleuses. I pinch the blooms off of my coleus-- I think it keeps them more productive when you do. And those wax begonias...they can really take a beating in the sun and remain unharmed.

When I went out this morning to water my plants, the wind (?) had knocked over one of my containers of coleus. :( What once was a beautiful plant is now broken in several pieces--the upside to this is lots of cuttings to grow and give. Hopefully, I'll post pictures of some of my containers soon.

vabreeze

hi vabreeze
I also pinch the flowers of all my other coleus, but I think this one is just too pretty right now plus I think I am at the end of container capacity so I don't really want this coleus to get any bigger. As of the SPV's - those are in 20 inch barrels - I wouldn't know where to put bigger containers. For next season i will just keep the SPV's in the one big flower bed I have. I also have to cope with a lot of weather ( and toddler ) damage but see it just like you... more cuttlings to put in more containers ( I have with all the veggies 60 right now ). i never thought gardening could be so addictive.

WOW!!!!! - I am totally in awe of some of your containers. What a GREAT thread and what wonderful combinations. I tried something different with mine this year going with some monocramatic themes. I was pleased with how some of them turned out....

Lynne

over all view of the steps with red geraniums in the background just coming into bloom
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the yellow million bells in this container also has the bright rosey ones on the same plant - that is why I went with the varigated coppery plant to compliment the million bells
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Hen and Chicks in the little Radio Flyer...
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Nasty Urchins, as my now 50-year old DD called them when little, in the old Weber...
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V- I'm sure you will enjoy it year after year! I sure do...I've been told to trim it twice a yr but once in the winter seems to do well for me...

Here are some pictures in my new courtyard area. This area is very shadey with only part sun some of the day.
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justadncr,

talk about outdoor living space!!! very nice indeed.

vabreeze

Wow, Justadncr!
Beautiful space!
HOWEVER.... There's a LOT of empty space!
You need a few more pots... or 10.... or 20...... or....

LOL!

Seafire 1 you really opened a "can of worms"...and what a beautiful one at that! All the containers are beautiful! I usually go straight to the Garden Junk forum, but I see I need to be checking this forum out too!

outofspite and vabreeze Thanks for the compliments. I am sure I will be getting more. We just built the area last winter so it has many years more to fill up!

'Valentine' ... thornless red floribunda rose.

Randy

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