Serendipity

As I was writing the post below about bulbs, a neighbour dropped by. He had been cleaning out a basement and had several dozen clay flower pots and plant saucers to give away. I was out of the house like a shot.

Many people do not like ceramic flower pots. When filled with soil and plants, they are heavy. The large ones are chiropractor's dreams. Clay pots cannot be left outside in our winter because you end up with clay shards. It is a chore to empty the large ones, lug inside, scrub them and store. Plastic is easier, cheaper and preferred nowadays.

However, the old fashioned clay pots have virtues. They are often more attractive than plastic, with fancy colours and embosssed designs. The terra cotta colour gives a traditional look to the garden. They are a better bet for indoor forcing. They retain moisture better than plastic and, more importantly, if the tulip or daffodil stretches, they do not tip.

I sanffled up a tall pot, perfect for amaryllis. These plants are notorious tippers as they stretch in the low light conditions of mid-winter. I also took four six-inch pots for my hyacinth bulbs and a squat pot with saucer to match, perfect for forcing crocus.

Four large plant saucers were a bonus. Two became bird baths, replacing the plastic saucers that have been chewed up by the weed whacker. Two will go under the palm tree and the fig in the porch, once I get around to repotting these monsters.

Tip. If the clay pot breaks or cracks, recycle. Throw it hard against something so it breaks, gather up the shards and use them for drainage when planting pots. I have a small shard collection in the basement to use when planting bulbs for forcing and a larger collection in the back shed for next spring. I also recycle any broken household dishes for drainage shards.

THE FULLER THE SUN, THE BIGGER THE POT

I like big pots full of blooms. This year I am going to do big lilies in a couple of pots. I have often put in roses (the miniature rose called “the Fairy” looks lovely in the centre of a pot) and I love a big pot of acidanthera on the patio. The scent is wonderful.

But take note Thunder Bayers. In the very long hot days of June and July, small pots dry out fast. When you have blazing sun from 4 a.m. until after ten at night, small pots of flowers do not stand a chance. All containers need lots of water but the bigger pots hold it better. It can get so hot in Thunder Bay that you simply cannot water a small container often enough. Twice or even three times a day won’t do it. If you want pots of flowers on your sun-lit patio or deck, use the biggest pots or boxes. (The fuller the sun, the bigger the pot.) Conversely if you have a hanging basket or a small decorative pot, try to place it in the shade.

I use plastic containers for the convenience. The big ceramics are heavy and have to be put inside in the winter. Wooden boxes are nice but they rot – even the cedar boxes. All pots need drainage holes and some do not have them. You have to punch them through yourself, not always an easy job. Many long window boxes do not have enough drainage holes and you have to punch extra. You have to cover the holes with some shards, shells (at last a use for all those shells you brought back from Florida!) or large stones, set so that they keep the soil from clogging the holes when the pot gets soaked as it surely will during one of our famous thundery summer storms. Before I fill the pot, I set it up on to two or three bricks placed so that the bricks do not cover the drainage holes. This ensures good drainage.

I also put some Safer’s Slug granules under the pot between the bricks. The evil slug tribe can hide under a pot and even nest inside the drainage holes among the shards. In the dark of night, they emerge, climb up the side of the pot and munch, departing with the dawn. (For further hints to stop slugs, stay tuned to this blog). The problem with slug granules (besides the expense) is the requirement to replace them after a rain. However, a sprinkle under a pot lasts a long time. You can also put coffee grounds under the pot. Slugs hate coffee so if you are a coffee drinker, you might want to start collecting the grounds now. Chapters also gives away free grounds.