Everyone loves a good mixed planter. This particular recipe is one that I have used on the front porch of our home every Spring for the last several years. It is perfect for an area that receives morning sun but is shaded from the hot afternoon/evening sun. The great thing about this planter is that a majority of the plants required come in different color variations (white, green, pink, red) so you can find one that fits your vibe. This year I opted for the red and white theme. Below you can find all the plants needed and instructions to create this exact combination shade planter.
Materials Needed:
- Planter
- Potting Soil
- Hand Trowel
Plant Recipe:
- Red Dragon Wing Begonia
- Red Caladiums
- Boston Fern
- White Scaevola
- White Hypothesis
- Creeping Jenny (aka Moneywort)
*For this project I am using a 22″ Plastic Planter, (1) 12″ Red Dragon Wing Begonia,(1) 1 Gal. Boston Fern, (2) 4.5″ Caladiums, (2) 4″ White Scaevola, (2) 4″ White Hypothesis and (2) 4″ Creeping Jenny. Sizes and number of plants depend on the size of the planter you will be using.
Instructions/Layout:
- Fill planter with a well draining, high quality soil about 4″ from the lip.
- Dig a decent size hole in the middle toward the back of the planter. Remove Dragon Wing Begonia from nursery pot/hanging basket and place in pre dug hole.
- Remove Boston Fern from nursery container and place to either side of the Dragon Wing Begonia towards the back and angled more toward the lip of the planter.
- Add one pot of Caladiums to both the left and right side of the Dragon Wing Begonia slightly towards the front of the container.
- Place Hypothesis right in front of Caladiums on either side.
- Place Scaevola right in front of Hypothesis on either side.
- Finally add 2-3 pots of Creeping Jenny to the front of the planter angled and close to the lip of the planter allowing it to drape over.
- Lastly, fill in any gaps or spaces with soil, sprinkle in a slow release fertilizer such as osmocote and water throughly.
Care:
Place shade pot in a location with bright morning/early afternoon sun but not in direct sun as it can scorch the leaves. Water regularly to keep the soil consistently moist. Feed every two weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength during the growing season. Pinch back leggy Begonia stems to encourage bushy growth and remove faded flowers to promote continuous blooming.
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