very well drained (too much in fact probably because I had to water very frequently last year)

==>> first.. probably because they have too many plants.. for the available media ... which is what you have to do for the impact you want ...

second... better media might help with water retention ... subject to the previous ...

i would probably try to add a trailing plant ...

ken

ps: maybe you drilled too many drain holes....????

Too many drain holes...possibly....I will post pics when it gets warm enough to take them out of the shed

Medium used last year....I believe it was a 50/50 mix of MG & homegrown compost last. It always seemed to be so dry from the hot summer sun and hot deck surface.

What do you mean by a trailing plant? Can you give examples?

Lastly, what would YOU plant in these containers? I'm looking for suggestions as I start to compile a list of seeds I need to order.

Around here, in those size containers I see lots of those ornamental sweet potato vines trailing down the side.

If it was me, I'd probably attempt to grow morning glories in them because I love their heart shaped foliage but I haven't grown them in something shallow so I can't give feedback on if they'd struggle or not.

Michaela

Color me crazy but with railing planters like those if my plants don't end up root bound and lose impact by the end of the year they look terrible the rest of it. My containers are to make an impact and yes, they all get root bound....if, and I mean IF, I get time I will prune the tops and root prune BUT that is rare.

My summers are very hot and my containers in the sun often need watering twice a day. Love, love, love drip...

I would plant grass or moss for a less vigorous plant....Ken nailed it...you can't get an impact without it happening (root bound)

Water more, feed more. LOL

SCG

dbl post...oh... i have the exact same railer planters and rarely have less than 4 plants in each.... LOL

SCG

This post was edited by SouthCountryGuy on Thu, Feb 5, 15 at 22:57

SCG,

What do you plant in your planters, what type of medium do you use, and describe your drainage holes if you wouldn't mind.

Do you have any pics of what they look like in the middle of the summer?

Not that I'd want to copy you or anything :)

I use a soilless mix in my planters that is made for planters because it retains more moisture. I also have an under the bed tote that I keep for watering my plants. Every 3 weeks or so I'll take it out of my storage shed and fill it with warm water and set all my movable pots in it. I let them sit in it until they show signs of moisture on top. I always have to add more water while they are soaking but this gets the soil wet right through and cuts down on watering every day. Often they are fine without watering until the next soaking

I used Promix BX for my tomato containers (fabric pots) two years ago before I moved over to 5-1-1. It does have great water retention properties.

I have also used the 5-1-1 mix. While it worked well I just don't have time to make it or keep up with the increased watering schedule.

i use pro mix bx also ... get it from a local nursery ...

the whole point of professional mixes... is the engineered water capabilities ...

there is no water management with home made compost ... and not many peeps here on GW like MG stuff ...'

so i do think.. you had too many holes.. for what you were using ... but it will probably be different with different media ...

those above.. referring to 5-1-1 mix ...are referring to one of als gritty mixes ... use google on that term ...

when i said trialing plants ... i meant vines that would cascade down .... i havent done pots in decades... so i dont have a list handy .... but sweet pot is one such ....

good luck

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

so i do think.. you had too many holes.. for what you were using ... but it will probably be different with different media

Respectfully, I was under the assumption that it didn't matter how many holes you have the water would drain out until the media's holding capacity was reached. I am very curious as I do a pile of veggies in pots and have always added holes to aid in flushing salts in the media out.

Thanks for your advice.

SCG

To follow up on this thread...in the summers of 2015 and 2016 I planted calibrachoa (2 per container). While they looked great in May and June the problem I experienced is that they just can't seem to tolerate the intense summer heat and start to lose their punch by late July. So I am back to looking for suggestions for low-growing heat tolerant flowers that can grow in full sun throughout the summer.

Hi njitgrad,

" So I am back to looking for suggestions for low-growing heat tolerant flowers that can grow in full sun throughout the summer. "

One good heat resistant annual is Portulaca

ZM (not associated with any product or vendor mentioned or linked)

Dwarf marigolds. Convolvulus tricolor 'Blue Ensign' (Dwarf Morning Glory).

I'll second Zenman's suggestion for Portulaca. There is the annual kinds with flowers that generally look like little roses and small succulent needle like leaves, and another kind generally grown from cuttings with flatter teardrop shaped succulent leaves and generally single flowers and a more trailing habit. Both of these are succulents and will do well with the sun and heat. Another idea may be annual Vinca. If you are not familiar annual vinca has flowers that look similar in size to impatiens, and glossy dark green leaves. This really likes warmth and sun and it is a reliable bloomer. So you are a NJIT grad in New Jersey?

I bought a similar planter last spring at Menards. It had red salvia (annual) in the middle, dusty miller and petunias around the edges. It was one of my favorite planters I had all summer.

When the red salvia faded, I would cut them off and they would come right back. The petunias struggled the most (full southern sun).

I am going to make my own combo in this planter this year, red salvia and dusty miller for sure. Skipping pentunias -- not a fan of them. If you use the red salvia, don't be skimpy -- it grows upright and doesn't really "spread".