A few weeks ago asked me to check out their new feature. I debated doing it because involved online shopping, which I like to avoid as often as possible. When I decide I want something, I want it right then and without the cost of shipping. This is a problem when you don’t live near the “cool” stores and explains why my house falls low on the Blogger Scale of Chevrons and Quirky Home Decor. But, I agreed to do it because I know from reading blogs that daily sales programs are the way to go for items like rugs, mirrors, and other big-ticket home accessories.
Important: I’ve purchased from Wayfair many times and have never had a problem. They’re one of the very few online companies I use aside from Amazon.
More important: I really wanted an outdoor rug.
Most important: they gave me $100 to try it.
The other problem I have with daily sales is that you have to be on top of it to grab the best sales, especially if you live on the West Coast. Those New Yorkers have 3 hours on me! I was not on top of things, which should surprise no one, and missed a few really great deals on outdoor rugs. This annoyed me, so I decided to give up the rug dream and focus my efforts on an area of the site I knew few people would venture: . Check out that link if you’re looking for a stainless steel potting bench.
Success! I bought 6 large hanging planters for our front and back porches. I spent $117. Buying hanging planters has been on my list for a long time, but I wanted 6 larges one at $35-$40 each. I didn’t want to spend $300 (factoring in plants) on something I wasn’t sure I could keep alive in our climate, so I never pulled the trigger. The daily deal (and the $100) made snapping up this deal an easy decision.
My plan for this post–I was so excited when the planters arrived!–was to share pictures of them filled and hanging pretty against a summer sky. Instead, they’re sitting in their boxes because I’m scared to mess them up. The planters are pretty and of good quality. My brain might explode if I see them filled with dead or dying plants.
This much I know: I’m zone 9 and my front and back porches face west and east respectively. The front porch gets full sun and the back porch is partially shaded morning sun. There is some dappled southern light on both porches. The baskets would hang over a bed, so I’m not worried about water dripping onto the floor or furniture. That should make watering them easier.
And watering them is what worries me. The have coconut liners, so that should help, but it’s still a fact that I live in a dry, hot climate. I’ve heard some people line the base of their hanging baskets with disposable diapers to keep the moisture in!
I think I’m going with fuchsias for the shady back porch with eastern morning sun. They remind me of being a newlywed. I wanted a fuchsia tree for our front porch but we faced west, on a hill of decomposed granite, in a new development devoid of trees. Even I couldn’t convince myself it would work. I need to do some more research on them, but I hear there’s some regular feeding and fussy watering involved.
For the front, I’m considering million bells/petunias. I’ve had luck with them at our old house, and that place was like living on the surface of the sun. I’m also considering hanging succulents because that picture of the succulents hanging from the mulberry tree needs to be replicated with my Chinese elm.
Sigh. Something tells me that I’m going to have to just plant something in there and see what happens before I end up treating hanging baskets with the same guarded optimism I treat online shopping.
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There is hydrogel crystals that you can mix into potting soil. They hold more water than soil and release the water as they dry. (quick googling shows that it might not be great). I have had problems with coconut mat things drying out quickly but mine were shallow. Perhaps line the pots with a plastic bag to hold more of the water in? I get the not wanting to ruin nice/new/expensive thing but your regret at not doing may be worse than setbacks at what you want working.
Yes, I was going to suggest the hydrogel crystals too. You can also buy potting soil with them already mixed in (Miracle Grow has one.) They help some but I find all hanging baskets need watering daily in hot, sunny weather and a lot of fertilizer.
They are lovely! Here in hot and dry Alabama, my friends and I buy the Miracle Gro Moisture Control potting soil. It has the crystals described above already mixed in as well as the perfect balance of fertilizer for flowering plants. My dad picked up the crystals alone one year in an attempt to “save a few dollars” and we still tease him about how mom’s front porch containers “grew” each significant rain they had. It was a huge mess because the swollen crystals literally pushed huge clumps of soil out of the pots. So that was clearly user error with ratios and mixing but still a fun story and now he is definitely out of the planting business as far as my mom is concerned. Come to think of it, that may have been intentional. :) Best of luck to you!
I always plant million bells here in MN, they seem to be okay with me forgetting to water them on occasion and come in so many different colors. They are in my hanging baskets and window boxes and get lots of sun. I also use the coconut liners and agree with Rachel, they do dry out fast. Lining them with plastic might be in my plans next summer. I do different combinations every year and learn what works and what doesn’t. Container planting is my favorite, you can get some great results without being an expert. I take pictures and keep the plant tags so I can remember what I did. Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
You could always go the supah klassy route and do fake flowers.
I live in NY & I can’t keep up with those daily deal sort of sites. I am too indecisive & too busy in the morning.
I just discovered calibrachoa last year & just learned what they were called this year. They are my new favorite annual-I had no idea they were also called Million Bells, which does sound familiar to me. I was wondering why I had never heard of calibrachoa before. So thanks! They only need a moderate amount of water & on the east coast the roots can get too wet so they should work well for your dry weather if you water frequently.
And they are annuals! Just buy them. I wouldn’t worry too much about killing them. I used to get upset when my annuals didn’t work out, but now I just replace them or fill in as needed, since they aren’t too expensive. My rose bushes getting eaten by bugs, on the hand, makes me sad.
Get a WaterWise kit and a hose timer. (online or at big box hardware stores – just call and ask first)
http://www.provenwinners.com/product/waterwise-container-watering-kit-proven-winners
P.Allen even recommends it :D
http://youtu.be/jk_vDcFDT8g