It's a rainy day, which really isn't fair. I had a long week and was hoping for a few nice hours in the garden this morning. Hopefully tomorrow will be better -- it will be my first official bloom day and I want to get some nice shots of the garden.
Since it's too muddy to tromp about in the yard today, I decided to focus on the deck. It's part of the garden, after all, and ours has quite a bit going on.
And right here is where I realize I don't have much to say about the deck....the plan is pretty self-explanatory.
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| Top row: Lime tree and strawberry pot, herbs and tomatoes, annuals in a deck planter Middle row: hanging basket, peas and carrots from seed, radishes from seed Bottom row: palm trees, kcups with seedlings, more annuals in another deck planter |
I'm not sure how all of this stuff is going to hold up over the summer. In the past, I haven't had much luck with containers (mainly because I forgot to water them and the plants ended up dying). However, this deck is right outside our family room and we use it more than we ever used our old patio.
I guess I'll see how this year goes. If tomatoes get enough sun to grow well on our deck and if we keep up with watering, I'll see if hubby can somehow route a hose up there. If the annuals in the deck planters do well, I'll get a couple more deck planters next year and try growing some herbs in them.
What do you have growing on your deck/patio? Do your plants die in the middle of summer like mine usually do?
I feel like decks and patios are they only spaces I've had to garden in over the past few years, and while I've gotten pretty good at it, I can't wait for that to change. You're right watering is key, as well as choosing 'drought tolerant' plants. Here are a few tips, and a few favorites for the patio.
ReplyDelete-The more you use your patio, the more you'll remember to water it :)
-Morning glories or other flowering vines. Part of why I love morning glories is its a surprise every day with new blooms. They are very forgiving if you forget to water, and vines in general are a great way to define a space and cover any unsightly railing.
-I don't cut drainage holes in my tomato pots. I know this is considered "horrible" but they drink so much water, I've never had much of a problem in our 90 degree plus summers.
-A hummingbird or bird feeder. This always makes me smile, and I always find myself watching the birds.
-Levels. I like clusters of pots at different heights since staking tall plants is not always attractive in close quarters. Vines are also great for this as well.
Thanks for the tips -- I checked out your bloom day pictures and your containers look great!
ReplyDeleteI agree about the different levels. Right now, a lot of my stuff is all on the same level and in similar height pots. I saw a stepped plant stand in a catalog, but it was really expensive. I'm keeping my eyes open at yard sales/flea markets to see if I can find something similar.
Also - a lot of our pots are new because the old ones either didn't survive the move or have been left out over the winter and started to crack/fracture. I'd like to start finding new and different pots to add a little more interest.
Something simple to look for at yard sales is old milk crates or wooden boxes to elevate your pots. Since you're yard sale shopping, they're not going to be the same size - and that's a good thing. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking a look at my blooms, its still early, but I'm looking forward to some summer dinners on my patio!