planter-containersContainer planting on decks can make your backyard deck feel homey. The container plants will break up the large expanse of wooden or concrete deck area or create focal points where you desire. No backyard deck should be without some container plantings.

Containers

One of the great things about container planting on decks is that you can think outside the box about what type of containers you might use. Of course, you can use the traditional terra cotta pots and hanging plastic or wire baskets, but you can also get really creative. Old tin buckets make great containers for small deck plants. What about that old pair of colorful rubber rain boots you no longer wear? Place a few holes in the soles and fill with soil and you have a really unique container for your deck that your friends are certain to notice and comment on. Old children's wagons and wheelbarrows also make unique plant containers. Mix and match containers to add color, texture, and interest to your container planting on your deck.

One quite popular method for container planting on decks is to use the same material as the deck and build a large container or several smaller ones. You can place pots surrounded in river stone in the large planter or fill the planter with soil and plant directly into it. Use this method if you want a streamlined look or have a small deck which needs to appear as large as possible.

Look online and in your local home improvement center or nursery for unique containers. There are upside down planters, strawberry pots which allow plants in the many hole in the pot sides, and a wide range of other different and unusual plant containers you can obtain for your backyard deck plants.

Choose Plants Carefully

Container plantings for decks will be the most fun for you if you select the right plants for your deck. You may want to select vines and allow them to grow up strings suspended from the deck floor to the deck awning to provide privacy. You might want plants to add interest and choose plants which are colorful and have interesting textures. You may want to grow herbs in one or more of your containers or even tomatoes or other edible items.

Consider the amount of sun and shade which your deck offers. Also take into account the amount of exposure to rain the plants will experience. Select plants which are easy to grow in your climate which also thrive on the sun and natural rainfall exposure in your locale.

Unless you especially enjoy spending time caring for plants, you will want to select container plantings for your deck which are low maintenance. This increases your ability to enjoy lounging on your deck with your container plants rather than working on plant care.

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Filed under: Deck Design

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