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what can I plant in my planters now?

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Posted by coeng NE NJ (My Page) on
Fri, Mar 9, 12 at 13:36

Last Autumn I was too busy with my new home to plant tulip bulbs in my planters. Obviously now (early March) its too late. Any recommendation on any other spring flowers I can plant now? I don't want to buy expensive tulips that are ready to bloom. I saw them at Home Depot today at $3.33 per plant! My planters are the long rectangular plastic ones. I typically fill them with two different color tulip bulbs for a nice two-tone presentation on my retaining walls.

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RE: what can I plant in my planters now?

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There's all kinds of cold tolerant flowering plants for your choose from. I'll jot down a few ideas and I'm sure that others will jump and and help out.

Pansies, stock, violas, sweet alyssum, and calendula come to my mind right away. They would be hardy enough to take a frost. Even some of the petunias are very cold hardy.

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RE: what can I plant in my planters now?

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if you are asking about bulbs.. they should have been planted in fall .. and that is why they are sold in fall .. i doubt you could even buy them in bulb form at this time of year .. and hothouse potted versions are not going to last out there for more than a few days ... IMHO ...

otherwise ... rhiz's list. .

ken

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RE: what can I plant in my planters now?

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  • Posted by edie_h 5bNY (Finger Lakes) (My Page) on
    Sat, Mar 10, 12 at 20:19

Snapdragons are quite cold hardy too. One of mine from last year is still alive and showing green leaves.

You could also sprinkle California poppy seeds into your planters now, if your weather's still cold. I'm told they need cold soil to germinate. But then you'll have to wait for them to grow to blooming size, and I got the impression you want instant color.

Ken makes a really good point about hothouse plants. Those HD tulips may be intended as indoor decor. Do not ever assume that because a plant is out on display at a nursery, garden center, etc, that it is ready for outdoor life. Ask if the plant has been hardened off. If you get a blank stare, that means "no."

Edie

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RE: what can I plant in my planters now?

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i guess for this year its probably best to wait until later in the spring to plant some annuals.

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RE: what can I plant in my planters now?

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All of the plants mentioned are known to be quite cold hardy, even heavy frost tolerant. It's up to you, with your knowledge of the local climate, to decide when to plant.

When is your last expected frost date, according to your local extension office? When you find that out, I'd plant a couple of weeks before that or even more.

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RE: what can I plant in my planters now?

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IMO, pansies/violas would be your best bet for instant color right now. Garden centers are putting them out now, and will absolutely tolerate some frosty nights.

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RE: what can I plant in my planters now?

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Polyanthus , primroses and wallflowers are all blooming now here in containers, in addition to the ones rhizo listed. Forget-me-nots (Myosotis) also starting to open up.

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RE: what can I plant in my planters now?

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  • Posted by pippi21 Z7 Silver Spring, Md (My Page) on
    Wed, Mar 14, 12 at 19:51

I would add another suggestion..go to a good quality garden center and see what they have out to sell..I would think that would also give you some ideas..today at my favorite garden center, I saw pansies, alyssum or candytuft, rockcress, Clinqifoil(?)forget-me-nots, coral bell(foliage)and I know there was a gaillardia or rudbeckia there..and some others that I didn't look at.

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