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Add interest to your container gardens this
fall
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[SEPT.
13, 2004]
URBANA -- As days shorten
and temperatures begin to drop, you can give your container gardens
a new look by replacing some of the warm season plants with cool
temperature lovers. New additions can extend the life and enjoyment
of your container gardens, according to Susan Grupp, University of
Illinois Extension horticulture educator based in DuPage County. |
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"Chrysanthemums are a traditional
favorite and show up in garden stores in numerous flower forms and
colors," said Grupp. "Consider other plants that will do well in
cooler weather, such as pansies, snapdragons, sweet alyssum,
strawflower, cornflower and calendula."
She noted that the current trend of
growing plants for their foliage interest continues, and good
choices for the fall season include English ivy, dusty miller, vinca
vine, spikes, sprengeri fern, flowering kale and licorice plant. In
most years, all of these plants should stay looking good well into
fall.
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"Be creative and add pumpkins, gourds,
grapevine and even sprigs of straw to add interest," Grupp said.
"Then when temperatures really plummet and if your containers can
withstand the harsh winter weather without damage (some materials
may crack and chip), you may want to replace everything with a
variety of evergreen boughs.
"Most years
our weather remains cold, and if your planters are located in a
protected spot, out of the sun and wind, the evergreen branches
should remain green, often until early March. If they brown up,
simply remove and replace them with fresh boughs."
[University of Illinois news
release] |
