Shade Planter: DIY
We get so many questions about how to make a container garden specifically for the shade, so I thought I would share with you today some of my favorite fun textured plants to use in a shade container. First, make sure you have a great container. This is one of my favorites that I actually purchased at Home Depot six or seven years ago. It’s made from fiberglass which makes it super lightweight and easy to transport around your home and garden. Find all of the following ingredients in my Amazon store here.
· Large planter
· A really good potting soil
· Shade Plants such as maiden hair ferns, rex begonia, tractor seat plants, variegated ivy, and fluffy ruffle fern
· Light green moss
1. Use a really good potting soil to fill up your pot. Now here in the south if you have a small container, they turn into crock pots in the summer! What I mean by that is they get way too hot for your plants here in Georgia. So make sure you use a large planter! Add soil until its about 2 inches below the edge of the container.
2. Start with your tallest plant, which for me is the rex begonia.
3. I’m adding the maiden hair next then the tractor seat plant in the shape of a triangle. Remember, to get that designer look in your planters, plant your large plants in the shape of a triangle.
4. Next, we have some of my favorite plants that do well in the shade. I love maiden hair ferns! They are light, frilly, and airy, making any container nice and airy. Another of my favorites is the rex begonia. The begonia has a dark gorgeous burgundy color and I have another that is light and silvery.
5. Next, we have the tractor seat plant. If you’ve seen one of these, you can tell that it’s leaves look like an old time tractor seat!
6. I’ve also got variegated ivy that will trail out of your planter. I love using the variegated kind because it truly makes any container pop.
7. We also have fluffy ruffle fern that has incredible texture.
8. And finally, add some light green moss!
9. Now layer in the small plants around your three large center plants. Use ferns, ivy, or any other light and trailing plant! The easiest method to adding these plants in is to create another triangle opposing the first one. I have lots of people who ask me if I loosen the root ball before planting and the truth is it depends on each root ball. If the roots are pretty tight and tangled it’s good to loosen them up a bit before planting but if your plant has a good root structure, they should be ready to go!
If you are itching to make this planter but the temperatures where you live are still pretty chilly, you can make this planter and keep it in a sunny window until your area heats up! Once you pass that frost-free date for your area, take this planter outside and it will grow into a beautiful summer container. If you have leaves that start to turn brown, pinch them off so your plant can focus all its energy on the healthy leaves. Also, don’t forget to fertilize with a great fertilizer like Colorstar at least once a month! One last tip, these plants like soil that is constantly moist, so make sure the soil stays wet! Happy Gardening!
