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The Black Thumb Gardner’s Guide to Making a Patio Container Look Full and Lush

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Y’all, I have a secret.

I was born without green thumbs.  Okay, that’s not the secret.  If you’ve been reading this blog for any period of time, that’s pretty evident (case in point here, here, here, and here).  But, I have figured out a way to make it look like my black thumbs are starting to turn a shade of green: Hanging Baskets.

Now, I know that hanging baskets themselves are nothing new.  But, I love the look of them when the flowers and greenery start hanging over the sides of the basket.  I love that look in patio containers, too, but there is no way that I’d be able to grow plants enough to make them hang in a way that’s pleasing to the eye.  I’ve tried, but they just end up looking sparse and yuck.

So, my new technique?  I transplant hanging baskets into a patio container to make them look immediately lush and grown in.  I even did it for my BBQ grill planter this summer.

Transplant plants from hanging baskets into a patio container for immediate lushness and fullness.

This is a huge planter, so I used two identical hanging baskets to plant in the grill.  I added a little bit of potting soil and then literally pulled the flowers out of the hanging planters (soil and all) and stuck them in the grill planter.  I made sure the root ball was broken up and patted them down until they were secure and down in the soil.

Now, this can get expensive, because hanging baskets with a lot of different plants in them can be sort of pricey.  But, I found mine on clearance at Lowe’s – they were 50% off!

Transplant plants from hanging baskets into a patio container for immediate lushness and fullness.

They weren’t dead, but they weren’t as fresh as the newer baskets that Lowe’s had received from their distributor.  I have been giving them watering attention every morning, and they are looking fabulous.  In fact, they have already grown so much, and I noticed this morning that they are flowering about twice as much now as they were when I took these pictures last week for my Summer Home Tour.

Even my hibiscus, which is also pictured in the above images, was 50% off.  With some love, it has quit shedding leaves and I even have blooms on it this morning.  Take that, Black Thumb!

I’m so proud of myself for figuring out this little hanging basket trick.  Keep your eye out for clearance baskets at your favorite nursery!

Have you ever transplanted hanging baskets into a patio container?  How did it work out?

About Lindsay Ballard

Lindsay Ballard is a former college mascot turned political geek turned roller derby playing, DIY fanatic.

Lindsay chronicles her projects, design ideas, and lifestyle tips here at Makely, where she shares tutorials and inspiration. Her DIY designs are bold and graphic, while her spirit is fun and full of color.

Comments

  1. Robyn says

    I’ll let you in on another secret that will keep your plants blooming all season …..Miracle Gro……it’s a known fact in the industry that those plants in containers must be fed weekly or biweekly. Every time you water your washing the nutrients in the soil right out through the drain holes. If mid summer your planters look leggy and sparce give them a haircut and continue to feed them they will be full within a few weeks. Here’s to your green thumb

    Reply

  2. Nancy R says

    Hi Lindsay, great idea. I too have trouble growing flowers. My trick is when my containers look a bit sparse is to get artificial greenery and place between the plants. Need to replace them yearly as they fade but they make my containers look full!

    Reply

  3. Kim G says

    I’m glad I’m not the only one with a black thumb (I can even kill fake flowers)!!! Your flowers are so pretty. I’m going to try one more time, I “planted” some silk hydrangea’s in one of my planters and put it on my front porch. Hopefully they will last me a little while so I can enjoy them for more than a month. 🙂

    Reply

  4. Ro says

    Here is something I found very helpful. When planting things in those large pots it can get very expensive to fill with potting soil not to mention heavy. Here is what I do. I take the peanuts that come in mailing or other packing material of this kind fill the pot over half full with this. ( If plants planting have very shallow roots use more. packing material).
    Then put the potting soil in and your plants. The plants will still grow and the pot it self is so much lighter and you have kept the cost down.

    Reply

  247. conta binance says

    Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?

    Reply

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