Pallet Planters -- Add Color and Height to Your Garden!

A pallet planter is a great way to add height and
visual interest to your garden.  We think the brightly-
colored coleus is just stunning in this version!

Bursts of color from overflowing hanging baskets and annuals in flower beds will be seen around town soon enough.  We love flowers in all shapes and sizes, but when we come across something unique, it's even better.  Re-purposing an old pallet is a great way to dress up a less-than-perfect fence or wall, save space, and give some flowering height to your garden all at the same time!  You can use almost any flowering plants you like, and as a bonus you won't be weeding every day :)

Tools You'll Need:
Drill and hammer (only if there are broken spots in your pallet)
Paintbrush (if you want to paint your pallet)
Staple gun
Scissors
Shovel


Materials You'll Need:
Nails (only if there are broken spots in your pallet)
Pallet
Waterproof paint (if you want to paint your pallet)
Landscape fabric
Staple gun staples
Potting soil (around 3-4 cubic feet)
Flowering annuals or other small-leafed plants
Water and sun!

LET'S GET STARTED!

Step 3: Staple the landscape fabric to your pallet.

1. Use your drill to make starter holes and then hammer in nails to fix any broken spots on your pallet.  We recommend using a drill to prevent further splitting of the slats.
2. Paint your pallet with the waterproof paint if you want to -- otherwise you can move on to step three and keep a natural color.
3. Cut and then staple the landscape fabric to the back and bottom of the pallet (see picture), leaving the top open for more plants and watering if you're going to display your garden vertically.  If you are going to leave it horizontal on the ground, staple the fabric over both ends, leaving just the top open.

   

   Step 4: You cannot overstaple this project!  Make sure to
   pull the landscape fabric tight so that the soil won't escape.

4. Don't be afraid of overdoing the staples... you'll want plenty of support for the soil and plants and definitely don't want the fabric to come loose halfway through the season!  Staple everywhere you think soil could fall out of the pallet -- every two inches is a good bet.
5. Bring the pallet near its final destination (it will be heavy to move after filling with soil and plants.)
6. Fill the pallet with potting soil.
7. Plant flowers and plants tightly into the spaces so that the soil will remain where it belongs.
8. Leave your pallet horizontal for about 3 weeks, watering it just after planting and

   

   Step 6: Fill your pallet with potting soil.

   then deeply watering every few days, so that the plants can take root.
9. 3 weeks later, lift the pallet up vertically and enjoy your dressed up fence for the rest of the season!

Tips:

• To find a pallet, think garden centers and other large retailers -- places that get large, heavy deliveries!  Give us a call at (585) 225-7770 and we'll let you know if we have any.
• Remember if you're using a recycled pallet that you want a heat-treated one -- it will have HT stamped on it -- rather than a chemically treated one.  Your flowers will grow better without a chemically-treated home.
• Unfortunately, we don't recommend growing herbs or veggies in your pallet planter because you never know what was transported on it before it arrived in your garden (lots of pallets are reused over and over by different companies in different places), and if they are left outside in damp weather there can be bacteria and mold within.  Then again, if you can find a new pallet to buy (check online) then you could mix some veggies and herbs into your pallet garden too!

Try painting your pallet garden for an even more unique look.

Thoughts of Maui in a Snow Storm

Ok, seems as winter doesn't want to let go. Ok, I can deal with that. It looks like a giant snow globe outside the window, with 3" of new snow in last hour or so. But fear not, let's think summer. Let's think Tropical.

Welcome, Maui Sunshine. One of Terra Nova new Coneflower (Echinacea) additions, this bright gold/yellow flowering plant has some size to it. The plant tends to be more upright, up to 3'+ tall and close in width. Good flower size and quantity. And thoughts of the sweet fragrance take me away from the winter blues.

Like all coneflowers, too much water will rot the roots, but otherwise, this seems to be a good one.

Plants Deliver Reasons To Believe

Its a sunny February afternoon. Forget it's winter. Forget it's February. Take note that it's Sunny! Time for an imagination journey.



Turn off the TV.
Turn off the radio.
Open your favorite magazine.
Now don't read the articles, just flip through and look at the pictures for a few moments........................



I'll bet the pictures you viewed varied in types. Food, nature, buildings, people. Now do you remember your favorite picture(s)? It's very likely that the common theme on those pictures were that were full of color and you really felt like you could touch the objects in the picture or transport yourself right into the middle of the setting.



This past weekend, Garden Center and Landscape Company Owners and Managers met in Louisville, KY and one of the events was a review of many of the new plants that were going to be available for our customers this summer. The plants in the NMPro Plant Pavilion were in all category types: shrubs, perennials, trees, tropicals, and annuals. The 30+ plants on showcase all had a common theme...they were special because of their fantastic colors! We oohed and aahed while reviewing them and could imagine their glory in our gardens.



What does this event have to do with you? Well, just like the Garden Center and Landscape Industry professionals, you also dream of a brighter time of year. The Spring with its glorious displays of color. By dreaming now, you also plan for the planting season.



As humans, many of us use plants as an escape into a world of peace and paradise. Plants are living things that don't care about what the different news organizations critique and write about. Plants don't care if people are grumpy on a certain day. Plants give us color and joy....and hope.



While thinking and planning on what new garden area (whether it's 1 new plant or 50) you are going to create, how about brightening your office or home? Just 1 plant, in a home or office, with a colorful flower can bring that warm feeling of spring one step closer.



So are you a pink person; or maybe a blush white; or lavender, blue, yellow or red? Bring a flower home now and watch your winter blahs 'bloom' into a pre-spring euphoria.



Oh, and you are wondering what plant was voted as the winner of The NMPro Plant Pavilion for 2010? It was the Candy Store Series of Garden Phlox. The variety 'Bubble Gum' is pictured below. Plant and photo credits to Novalis Group.