I love to decorate my front porch for the different holidays and seasons. Last week, I made some burlap and pumpkin wreaths to accent our doors for fall. They added a great autumn touch but there was still a problem. I had a large flower pot next to my door filled with summer plants that were on their last leg. I figured now was a good time to take out those dying plants and make a DIY Fall Container Garden.
Container gardens are a great way to add color, greenery, and decor to virtually any area in your home. They can be put indoors or outdoors, in full sun or shade, all depending on the types of plants used. Container gardens are inexpensive and simple to maintain. And because they are so affordable, it is easy to switch out plants throughout the year to give the floral arrangements a different look.
Thrill, Fill, & Spill
This phrase is very popular in describing how to make a successful container garden. The basic idea is to group together various plants with the same growing needs that meet the three design components of thrill, fill and spill.
- The Thrill – a unique and eye catching plant that usually has some heighth
- The Fill – shorter plants or flowers that fill out the remaining space in the container
- The Spill – plants that spill over the edges of the container
DIY Fall Container Garden
Supplies:
- 2 Cosmos Cosmic Orange plants
- 2 Ornamental Pepper plants
- 3 Purple Lysimachia plants
- Potting Soil Mix
- SUPERthrive Plant Vitamin Solution
- Watering can or bucket
Ornamental Pepper 
Cosmic Orange Cosmos 
Lysimachia
Fill the container or flower pot with potting soil until it is 3 to 4 inches from the brim. Add water to to the soil and mix thouroughly until all the soil is damp (you will need to add more soil to the pot as it gets wet).
Once all the soil is damp, place the plants (still in their plastic containers) in the pot. Begin to place them in different spots in the container until you find an arrangement you like.
Time to Plant
When I plant container gardens, I like to start with the largest plant first (in this case the Cosmos), then work my way down in size.
To loosen the plants from their nursery containers, set the plant on its side and gently step on the container. Once the soil is loosened from the plastic, the plant will come out easily.
Before 
After
Most plants are extremely root bound when first removed them from the nursery pots. With finger nails or scissors, gently break apart the tightly packed roots to encourage new growth.
Dig two holes in the back center part of the pot. Make sure the holes are deep enough so all the plant’s roots and soil fit inside. Once the plant is in the hole, fill in any gaps with the remaining soil. Repeat the process with each of the remaining plants until everything is planted.
Once all the plants are in place, it is time to add the secret weapon to help the plants grow beautifully! SUPERthrive is an incredible vitamin solution for all types of plants. Follow the mixing instructions on the back of the container and water each one of the newly planted plants with the vitamin solution.
Voila! A beautiful DIY Fall Container Garden full of the season’s colors and textures.
Conatiner Garden Tips:
- The plants will need more water the first few days so keep a close eye on them so they do not dry out.
- Do not over-stuff the flower pot. Make sure the plants have room to grow.
More Fall Container Garden Inspiration
Three Colors of Mums 
Ornamental Cabbage with various Gourds 
Ornamental Grass, Crreeping Jenny, and small Pumpkins
With just a few simple updates, my porch was autumn ready in no time. What season do you like to decorate for?
