Joyce Kilmer would be appalled at this adulteration of his poem. But while many people are aware that Fall is perfect for planting trees and shrubs, Fall is also a great time for planting trees, shrubs, and perennial evergreens in your planters to take you through the fall and winter or for year-round plantings. Here are a few tips to keep them growing well in their portable home:
1. Make sure your planter has a drainage hole. If growing your tree indoors or on a balcony porch, place a tray under the planter to keep from damaging floors or spilling on your neighbor below. (You can buy a matching resin tray to go with almost every Crescent Garden rotational molded planter). You can also grow them indoors and balconies using our TruDrop self-watering Dot planter.
2. Use a good quality compost rich potting soil.
3. If leaving your planter outdoors all year, make sure the tree you are planting is hardy to at least the zone you live in and preferably a zone colder. Our double walled resin planters protect the tree’s roots from the heat and cold, but the exposed part of the tree needs to be able to handle your zone’s low temperatures.
4. Use a planter that won’t crack or fall apart in extreme temperature if you are planning to keep the tree in the planter for many years. Shameless plug here for our 10 year warranty against fading and cracking on our rotational molded planters.
5. To keep the largest planters (36” – 48”) weighted down, place a couple of cinder block or bricks at the bottom after you have place the planter and before adding soil. Make sure the hole at the bottom is not covered by the blocks. We find that folks love using our light weight planters especially for balconies and condo courtyards.
6. Remember the 1/3 to 2/3 rule of planting containers: the full size of the tree should only be 2/3 of the total height of the planter and tree. For example, a 6’ tree should have a planter that is 3’ tall – the total height combined being 9’.
7. Make sure to water more frequently during the spring, summer, and fall. Even if it rains, the tree’s canopy can keep water from drenching the soil in the planter. And don’t forget to water during the winter if you have dry spells.
8. Fertilize your tree at least once a year to replace nutrients washed from the soil.