Are your porch planters looking a bit sad? Would you like to refresh them for the Holidays? Here is one way to do it!
Whether you call them patio pots, porch planters or combo pots, your outdoor planters are probably ready to be refreshed for the Holiday season. Let me show you how to refresh outdoor planters for the holidays!
A word of caution:
The growing zone you live in will determine whether you can mix living plant material with your evergreen boughs. The US Department of Agriculture has developed a map that divides the country into different growing zones based on how cold it gets in the winter. I am fortunate to live in Zone 10a where the temperatures rarely get below 32. If you don’t know what growing Zone you live in, you can find out here: Plant Hardiness Map
Before:
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How to Refresh Outdoor Planters for the Holidays
Angel Vine Topiaries with Proven Winner Diamond Snow
I planted these angel vine topiaries last Spring. The angel vine plants are one of my favorite plants. This topiary shape is called Russian Dome and was originally in a 6 1/2 grower’s pot. When I planted it this spring in the tall container, I added a 4 1/2-inch pot of Diamond Snow from Proven Winners.
By the end of November, the pots were looking a bit frazzled. The wooden dome on top of the topiary form was faded from the sun. It was definitely thyme to repot and refresh!
Choosing a New Pot
Since I was going to be adding evergreen boughs to my repotted topiaries, I decided to go with a 16-inch pot. I chose a pot that was made out of resin so that I would still be able to lift it after it was potted. While I do love the look of ceramic pots, they are extremely heavy even before soil and plant material are added. Large pots like this would be impossible for me to move by myself if they were ceramic!
Resin pots are also normally much less expensive than ceramic. I found these on Amazon. I will include the link at the bottom of the post. Another great thing about these pots is that they already had a drainage hole in the bottom. Often times, the pots don’t have drainage holes already cut out and you need to get the drill out and make holes in the bottom.
Before adding potting soil to the new pot, I added a few empty plastic pots to take up some room. In the past, I have also used pine cones as well as biodegradable packing peanuts to take up space in the container so that I don’t use as much actual potting soil.
Ready to Repot
After I prepared the new pot by adding fresh potting soil to the pot, I was ready to remove the topiary from their existing pots. By laying the pot on its side and gently tapping it on the ground, I was able to loosen the plant from the pot. The picture below shows how I used the smaller pots to take up some space when I originally planted it last Spring.
After placing the topiary into the new pot, I added more soil. After I got the pot moved into its new position by the front door, I watered it very well.
Then it was thyme to refresh the wooden knob at the top of the topiary. I simply sprayed some 24K Gold spray paint on a paper towel and rubbed it on the knob. It looks so much better now!
Ready to Add Evergreen Boughs
I treated myself to a new pair of clippers from Fiskars! I love their products!
Earlier this fall, I preordered two bunches of mixed greens from Proven Winners. I used a lot of Proven Winner plant material when I had the flower shop in Illinois. The box of greenery arrived shortly after Thanksgiving.
I learned many helpful tips from the gentleman who helped me at the flower shop. Two of the many products he introduced me to were these two products.
They were extremely useful when it came time to clean up after we had been working with pine. Simply spray the product on your hands and rub them together. Then wipe on a clean towel. Most of the pine sap is removed with just one application of the product.
I had brought these cans with me to Florida so I was able to use them after I was done adding the evergreen boughs to the pots.
In addition to the clippers or bunch cutters, you will need a sharp knife. After clipping the end of the bough, you will want to remove some of the evergreen needles. I gently scraped the needles off of the end of the bough.
I added the taller pine boughs to the back of the pot and the shorter ones to the front. I kept the pots simple and didn’t add any additional items such as a bow or pinecones. While I didn’t add ornaments to my pots, if I did, I would use ornaments that were at least 3 inches in diameter. Remember to make sure they are shatterproof and are able to be used outdoors.
Speaking of bows, red velvet ribbon was a favorite of my flower shop customers. I would recommend buying ribbon with a wired edge. It makes it so much easier to work with! For outdoor use, make sure it is waterproof!
After:
To help keep the evergreen boughs fresh, I spritz it with water a few times a week. I also water the containers so that the topiary and the Diamond Snow will continue to grow.
Save This Pin for Later – How to Refresh Outdoor Planters for the Holidays
How The Planters Look after A Few Weeks
To Learn More About Diamond Frost & Diamond Snow:
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