New here, and to gardening.
Is it possible plant echinacea in window planters? The planter is 12"x12"x48". It is hanging on my deck railing in the vacinity of my bird feeders. It gets 6-7 hours of light a day. The idea here is to get photos of birds with coneflowers in fore/back ground.
When flowering is done replant coneflower in yard and wait till next year to add it back to bird garden. I have also thought about using black-eyed susans and other large perennials native to South Carolina.
Is this sort of thing possible to do in planters that size and is it possibe to move plants back and fourth without killing them? Maybe some directions on a pottig mix would be helpfull too.
Thank You
Derek
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applestar
- Mod
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- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
Typical Coneflower/Echinacea is too big to grow in a planter that size, though there may be dwarf cultivars. Black-eyed Susans may manage and just stay small (they're nearly indestructible). You might be better off, though with smaller plants -- Coreopsis, maybe....
When did you want the flowers to bloom? That would have some bearing on this too. Moving the perennials back and forth may or may not work. If planted in the ground too late, they may not have the chance to establish their roots sufficiently to survive the winter. Look for hardier varieties.
Have you considered sowing annual seeds? You could save the seeds and replant from year to year. Also, some birds enjoy the flower seeds to eat.
Good quality, well-draining potting soil would be the right starting point. Group plants that like same kind of light exposure and soil moisture levels in the same container. Some variations in potting soil mix may be required depending on your choice of plant material.
When did you want the flowers to bloom? That would have some bearing on this too. Moving the perennials back and forth may or may not work. If planted in the ground too late, they may not have the chance to establish their roots sufficiently to survive the winter. Look for hardier varieties.
Have you considered sowing annual seeds? You could save the seeds and replant from year to year. Also, some birds enjoy the flower seeds to eat.
Good quality, well-draining potting soil would be the right starting point. Group plants that like same kind of light exposure and soil moisture levels in the same container. Some variations in potting soil mix may be required depending on your choice of plant material.
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microcollie
- Green Thumb
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- Location: Western MA
It's probably never going to be as happy in a pot as in the ground. As for overwintering, it depends on where you live. Being above ground leaves the roots of the plant much more exposed to the elements. (not just freezing, but the big fluxuation in temperatures during the winter months) If you're somewhere with a mild winter, it might do ok. That said, I've had plenty of times when I've bought perennials at the end of the season and made them live in pots over the winter. I've had luck laying them on their sides once they're dormant (helps prevent rot) and covering them with a THICK layer of mulch.