The proper way to fill planters

Should I fill my planters with flowers or leave room for growth?

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##FULL QUESTION## Dear *Gardening Life*, When doing up my planters, can I fill the planter with flowers or should I leave room for growth. If I fill in, will the flowers rot due to tightness of space? *—Gail*

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##FULL ANSWER## Gail, How tightly to plant your planters depends somewhat on the size of the planter and the types of plants you want to put in them. If you are talking about annual flowers (petunias, bidens, lobelia, geraniums, etc.), you can put them in quite close together, especially if you want "instant effect." (Just look at how jam-packed the planters are at garden centres.) The plants shouldn't rot and if any leaves do get shaded out and die, just pick them off. Use good-quality potting soil and make sure the containers have drainage holes at the bottom. The planters will need regular fertilizing and watering because there will be lots of competition for water and nutrients. But this is fine -- you only want the display for the summer anyway. Yes, you can give the plants more space and they will grow to fill it -- it will just take a little longer to get that full effect. If, however, you are planting perennials (or trees or shrubs), then I would give them plenty of room to expand. The saying about perennials is that the first year they sleep, the second year they creep and the third year they leap. Of course, that means you'll have to winter them over in their pots, which can sometimes be a challenge, but certainly doable if you have a shed or cool garage. Bigger planters will obviously hold more flowers and more soil, so it won't dry out as quickly. Look for potting mixes that have both water-retaining crystals and slow-release fertilizer in them. These are also available as separate additives - Soil Moist and Smartcote, for example - and can really help in keeping your planters full and lush. Good luck! *—Karen York, Botanical Editor* Other questions recently answered by the GL team: Growing on a septic field How to battle weeds between flagstone and alternative options Mysterious orange powder on the lawn What to do with end-of-season potatoes on the vine How to control Japanese knotweed What to grow in a dry area The proper way to plant astrantia What is the star flower and how do I manage it? How do I eliminate my ant problem? Preventing red beetles from attacking lilies Vine types to grow on a new pergola Maintaining purple fountain grass Keeping bougainvilllea healthy throughout the winer How to rid invasive green goutweed Good garden uses for fireplace ashes Growing grape hyacinth indoors The best way to convert a lawn into a meadow The proper way to grow rhododendrons Eliminating beetle damage to spruce trees Annual resembling Japanese maple Planting ivy near cedar trees In search of the 'Sundance Kid' sunflower Caring for canna bulbs A supplier for barren strawberry ground cover Winter care for roses Cutting back mauna loa The best time to harvest curly-leaf lettuce Eliminating invasive trumpet Caring for double-flowering hibiscus trees Eliminating white aphids from honeysuckle vine Where to purchase Japanese blood grass An alternative to rhododendrons Growing a vegetable garden over a septic field Dividing and replanting daylilies Proper care for oakleaf hydrangea The best care for shrub roses 'The Fairy' Pest eating purple leaf sand cherry Preventing lawn brown spots Keeping plants sturdy Preventing suckers from a cut-down serviceberry tree Best tomato seeds to sow Preventing wind damage to grasses Plants to highlight a pool Reshaping yew tree The best way to replace a lawn Best screening plants for privacy Buying snowberries in Montreal Keeping 'Endless Summer' hydrangea growing strong

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