Tasty Pelargonium Planter

Planting strawberries in hanging baskets has got me thinking, why not plant summer bedding into containers traditionally used for fruit growing?

With a spare terracotta strawberry planter in the garden and plenty of Pelargoniums growing on in the greenhouse, that’s exactly what I’ve done.
Pelargoniums in terracotta planters always remind me of holidays on the Med and the urn-like shape of a strawberry planter adds to that effect. The eight planting holes in the pot allow for a maximum number of plants in a small area, so this is a great idea if space is tight on your patio.

The only problem with this style of planter is they can dry out quickly in hot spells and can be hard to re-wet fully once dried. There are a few simple steps to stop this from happening. Firstly mix water retaining granules with multipurpose compost before planting up. Secondly cut a piece of plastic piping to the same depth as the pot, drill holes along its length and place this in the middle of the pot. Later when watering make sure water enters the top of the pipe for dispersal lower down. Also heavily water the Pelargoniums before planting. While mixing in the granules it’s also a good idea to add a slow release fertiliser, this will save you the job of feeding through the summer months and should make for strong flowering all season. To get your planter off to strong start follow this step by step:

Step by step:

1) Fill the bottom of the planter with gravel for drainage, hold the water pipe in place and fill with compost to the first planting level. Place rootballs through the holes, firm down and add compost to the next level.
2) Repeat the planting steps for each level, making sure the irrigation pipe remains upright and central to the pot. Firm the compost around the plants by placing one hand around the base of the plant on the outside and push compost down on the inside.
3) Place three plants around the pipe at the top and fill in gaps with compost. Water in. Place the pot in a warm, sunny spot during the day and bring inside over night until threat of frosts has passed.