Planting up tubs for the summer
Monday 5th June 2023I planted up my tubs for the terrace on 24 May, just after the Hadleigh Show. Following on from previous years, each tub contains a different compost from Melcourt Sylvagrow, Dalefoot Wool Compost, Levington Professional Tree and Shrub Planting Compost to Humax Peat-reduced Multipurpose Compost. I will give you feedback as to which compost performs the best as the season continues.
Firstly, I remove all the old bulbs, pansies and compost to completely empty the tub. Then I add crocks for drainage and fill the tub with compost. This year, I have planted Bacopa ‘Snowflake White’ and trailing variegated Nepeta to cascade over the edge of the tub. I have also added Laurentia blue, which I like as it gives a fluffy blue star flower and is great at filling space, and Nemesia burgundy to give colour. I have gone for a red, white and blue theme.
Once the tubs have been planted, water in well. The plants will grow like mad and will fill the tubs quickly. These plants will keep going until the autumn when I shall remove them all, as well as the compost, and plant up the tubs with bulbs again.
Having lost all my Pelargoniums last winter, I was generously given some more by a friend. I have potted them up individually and placed them altogether to brighten up another corner on my terrace. Helen, who kindly gave them to me, is coming to stay in July for the RHS show at Hyde Hall so I am dead-heading the flowers and keeping them watered so that they look their best for her arrival.
Planting up my tubs:
Glorious Pelargoniums on the terrace
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