I have 3 pots that I place on each step at my front door every year. I have a terrible time trying to plant something that the deer won't eat! I would love something that flowers all summer. I would love any ideas and input! Thanks in advance!
ideas please
are you after perrenials or annuals?
Either one, as they will be potted. If they are perrenials, I'll just plant them this fall in one my flower beds.
So far i've had luck with Petunias and Dusty Millers. I planted them thick with 4 petunias to 1 Dusty Miller. I use every color of petunia i can get. It has an old fashioned garden feel with a riot 0f color. I fertilizer with miracle grow once a week at 1/2 tsp to a large watering can.(abt 2gal)
Vickie
Great! I have tons of petunias so I will start with them. I have no idea what a dusty miller is, so will have to check on these and see if I can find some! Thanks!
Dusty Miller is a pretty common annual. You shouldn't have trouble finding it. It's a foliage plant with silver leaves.
Oh! Sounds pretty! I will try some with some of my lavendar petunias! I need something for filler with them anyway and bet they will look very elegant together. Thanks!
I don't remember the name of this artemesia, but I wish I'd bought more of it. I like the way it spills over the container
Here you go.....the grey stuff is dusty miller...on the same grow pole with petunia's. The pole on the right has dianthus "pinks" on it and deer do not bother them. The smaller snapdragons are not bothered by deer in my area. Both the pinks and snapdragons can take some frost and are some of the first bloomers in the spring. There is a trailing type snapdragon that looks nice in pots. They both may take a break during the real hot dog days of summer but if trimmed and deadheaded will come roaring back for lots of late summer bloom and right on into the milder early days of winter. I have had some overwinter here in zone 8. Deer dont like the smell or taste of basil and there are some ornamental types. The little globe basil forms a neat 10 inch, 10 inch high ball and goes well in a mixed container with other plants. Its fragrance may help protect some other plants from deer.
Wow! Those are all pretty! Yippee, more shopping for plants tomorrow! Will have to pick up both dusty miller and hunt for some of that artemesia as I really like them both. Irwells, what is the tall plant in the middle? Jay, I need to pick up some pinks anyway, as I have 3 that didn't make it through our horrible winter this year. I have them in the ground, and never thought about using them in pots. Super idea! More shopping and more plants! Can't think of a better way to spend a holiday weekend!
The tall plant is agastache - hasn't bloomed yet. It my be way too tall for the rest of the plants in the pot, but I love it, and it brings lots of hummingbirds.
Found lots of dusty miller, but haven't found the artemesia yet. Will check the city tomorrow, as have to go there to work. After doing some research on the agastache, will pick some of those up too! Love the way it adds some height! Thanks!
Irwells50 - Me'thinks that is Artemesia, 'Silver Mound'.
- One of my favorites too.
This message was edited May 24, 2009 8:26 PM
Another artemesia that looks like that is "powis castle"
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/49904/
After you are finished with it as a container plant, you can use it at some area of your yard where it can get quite large.
I think it's Silver Mound - I'll try putting it in the ground at the end of the season and see what happens.
Don't know if that would work here in my zone 3/4 Wyoming winters! But I'll try it with tons of mulch maybe?
These folks at high country gardens have a great site for growing stuff in your zone and altitude.
http://www.highcountrygardens.com/
Thanks! I'll go there now and check them out!
Deer Advice! I live across the street from a Forest Preserve and we have many deer friends. To keep any flowers and shrubs from them I use RO-PEL spray that I get at my local hardware store.