Fall Container Gardening
Fall Garden Market is in full swing here at the farm, and container gardens are one of our favorite parts of the season. The cooler days of September and October make for great planting weather, whether you're building a full arrangement for your porch, adding a little color to your entryway, or tucking a few edible crops into a small space.
Outdoor Annuals
Autumn annuals are a great way to add color and texture to your planters. While many annuals in outdoor containers are relatively short-lived, there are some plants you can include to extend the life of your garden. Certain varieties of cabbage and kale will provide interest throughout fall and even into winter! You can also experiment with hardier foliage plants to add extra texture to your outdoor planters.
Right now we're working with mums, black-eyed Susans, celosia, ornamental peppers, coleus, and cabbage and kale for our own fall combinations. Playing with different heights, colors, and textures is a great way to create a truly unique planter.
The "Thriller, Spiller, Filler" guidelines are helpful when picking out plants:
- Thriller: The "thriller" plant should have some height and unique interest. For autumn, this could be black-eyed Susans, ornamental peppers, mums, celosia, or other taller plants with flowers or foliage that have a big WOW factor!
- Spiller: The "spillers" should have a trailing growth habit and cascade down the sides of your container. Million Bells™️ and creeping Jenny (Lysimachia) are two of the plants we use most here at Barlow's in the fall.
- Filler: The “fillers” are plants that usually are smaller in height and have a mounding growth habit. Pansies, cabbage, kale, and houseplants make for great fillers. These plants will be planted in all the gaps between your “thrillers” and “spillers.”
Pumpkins & Gourds for Containers
Pumpkins and gourds aren't just for the porch steps — they make great container accents, too. We grow our own pumpkins right here at Barlow's, and this season we've got more than 25 varieties of pumpkins and gourds at the farm, in just about every shape, color, and texture you can imagine.
Tuck a few alongside mums, kale, or other fall plants for an easy seasonal look, or mix different shapes and colors together to create a display that's uniquely yours. A few well-placed pumpkins and gourds can turn even a simple planter into a beautiful fall accent.
Coming soon: We're putting together more ideas for "pumpkinscaping" your home, including tips for creating a display that's full of color, texture, and personality.
Herb & Veggie Gardens
Growing your own herbs and vegetables doesn't need to take up a ton of space! There are plenty of frost-tolerant crops that are perfect for smaller spaces.
Lettuce, Swiss chard, kale, and spinach all come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and flavors and are great options for container gardens. Classic herbs like parsley, thyme, sage, chives, and oregano also grow well in cooler temperatures in our area. Not only do they make visually attractive plantings in container gardens, they smell amazing, too!
Herbs and veggies grown in containers need to be monitored more closely than those planted in the ground. They may dry out faster, and the soil may lose nutrients more quickly, so keep a close eye on your plants to see whether they need a good drink or some fertilizer.
Ready-Made Containers & Porch Baskets
Short on time, or just want it done for you? We've got you covered. Our ready-made containers and porch baskets are already planted with seasonal combinations — just grab one and set it on the steps, porch, or patio.
We also offer Fall Porch Kits, a Barlow's favorite, with seasonal plants and accents ready to help you create an easy, beautiful fall display at home.
Whether you're filling one small pot or creating a whole fall display, a few well-chosen plants can make a big difference. Come wander the rows at Barlow's Farm & Flowers and see what's growing — all grown right here on our farm for the Jersey Shore.
Visit our Fall Garden Market to see what's growing and what's ready this week.