Rainbow, Rainbow, Rainbow

On my first day working at Valley View, my new boss, Retail Greenhouse Manager Carrie Engel, called a meeting and asked each of us to name our favorite plant. Favorite plant? Singular?

Angelonia in a local plant trial

Panicked, I chose Angelonia, a pretty yet sturdy annual I’ve used in containers for years. When a co-worker chose ferns, I thought, “Dang! Can I change my answer?” How could I have forgotten ferns? They’ve been around since dinosaurs for good reason. They’re perfect. Why change?

Boston Fern...traditional

Staghorns and more

Having been at Valley View for a couple of months now, my favorite plant changes daily (sometimes hourly). One day it might be showy Crossandra, the firecracker flower, or the dainty white Vinca with the hot-pink center, or Gartenmeister, a cheery upright Fuchsia that I’m ashamed to admit I bought the last of.

Soiree Kawaii Peppermint Vinca

 By the end of a week, I’ll have fallen in love with a fat-leafed begonia or the Caladium imaginatively

Shade combo: begonia, caladium, torenia

Euphorbia Diamond Frost

named “Frog in a Blender.” (Green leaves, red flecks.) And what about Euphorbia, with its cluster of white buds like a handful of stars, or Torenia--those little trumpets‑-or any of the inventive petunia hybrids, NightSky, Blue Stardust, Bee’s Knees? Then there’s the classic Geranium, with its vibrant, peppery scent. Speaking of scents, don’t forget the herb section, where scent reigns supreme and the plants are edible to boot.  

Crossandra Orange Marmalade

As Carrie surely knows (I think the question was a test!), asking plant people to choose a favorite is like asking a mother to choose among her children, if she had a thousand of them. At Valley View, we pretty much do.  

Fragrant Heliotrope Marine

 Editor's note: Today's guest blogger is Lisa Beyer. Stop in to see her for some great ideas for your garden!

Caring for Hanging Baskets and Other Container Gardens

This year at our farm greenhouses, Valley View Farms grew about 6,000 hanging baskets and another 10,000 8 inch and larger pots for gardeners to use on their porches and patios. Many of the pots were most likely transferred to other containers to have for the growing season. Here are some basic care tips that will help the plants provide great results for your summer pleasure. 

First, when choosing the plant, consider lighting. Plants like petunias, calibrachoas, cascading vincas, and geraniums will thrive in full sun. For our purposes here, we will consider 6 hours or more to be full sun. Shadier areas, that receive from 2-4 hours of sun, will brighten up with the addition of impatiens, fuchsias, and begonias.

 Foliage plants like ferns, pothos, and other houseplants may be considered for full shade or part-sun. 

Second, learn to tell when your hanging basket or container needs water, then water thoroughly. Your finger is your best indicator. If the soil is dry to your second knuckle, it likely needs water. Sunny, breezy days may mean watering daily. Overcast days allow us to skip a few days between watering. Hanging baskets are also easy to judge just by checking on their weight. A little practice and you'll be to tell exactly when the baskets need water. Our waterers in our greenhouse water until they see water running for the drainage hole before moving on to the next basket. A few actually give the water an eight-count to ensure that enough water has been added. Be careful; most of the soils that we grow in are peat-based. If allowed to dry out too much between watering, the soils shrink, and water just pours through the sides and not into the center of the soil. If this happens, soak the whole container or just go back a second or third time until the water is soaked up by the soil mix.

Next, use a fertilizer regularly in all of your pots. Watering frequency will help determine how often fertilizing your plants are effective. Our grower uses fertilizer several times a week; once home, we recommend fertilizing every couple of weeks to keep the plants blooming. We like a water-soluble plant food for ease of use and fast action. 

Fourth, groom your plant. Remove faded blooms, pick off yellow leaves, and, cut-back growth that may have gotten leggy. I love to cut back my petunias and calibrachoa before leaving on vacation because they will use less water and will be re-flowering in no time. Also, turn shady plants regularly as they will typically grow towards the sun. 

Hanging baskets and containers are a joy to have around us as we find ourselves spending quality time in our outdoor spaces. As we move into the hotter days of summer, different heat-loving plants like lantana, angelonia, and vinca will take the stage. 

Enjoy all the beauty that flowers bring to our homes.