Now the sun is shining, it's extremely tempting to run out to the garden center and grab a bunch of bright florals to fill your containers. While it undoubtedly looks good for the first few weeks or so, it won't take long for everything to fade, leaving you with a less than impressive display come early summer.
But, it's actually super easy to stagger container planting in spring so your container garden thrives from now until fall. It's all about choosing early, mid, and late season plant pairings. You can even add in evergreen structure for interest into winter. If you're a balcony gardener or have just a few pots on a small patio, this is a particularly neat trick to ensure your outdoor space remains vibrant for the whole growing season.
Here, a gardening pro explains more about this design trick so you can prolong your display and get the most out of your pots this spring and summer.
How to Stagger Container Planting
To stagger container planting in spring, it's important to think about the evolution of your container display, not just the immediate impact.
Here, gardening expert and landscape designer Brandon McCormick talks through each stage of making this trick work.
Establish a Foundation
Before jumping in with selecting the plants you're going to use, you first need to have the right foundation in place.
The first step is choosing the right container. You'll have more success with a staggered display by using a larger vessel that not only allows for more plants but has space for the plants to grow to their full potential.
This terracotta planter set from Wayfair is a good choice to start you off.
But don't worry if you've only got window boxes or smaller pots to work with, you can still plan staggered planting.
Another element of laying down a foundation in your containers is using evergreens. This will provide interest between blooms and will contribute to the fall and winter garden.
'The secret is to anchor your arrangement with a structural backbone of evergreens or architectural grasses that look polished in every season,' says Brandon.
Some of the best grasses for containers include sedges, like this carex 'Evergold' from Nature Hills which has bright creamy-yellow foliage.
Layer Early, Mid, and Late Season Blooms
The next step is to choose your flowering plants. This is where careful selection comes in.
'Layer in a mix of early, mid, and late-season bloomers,' says Brandon.
'Instead of choosing only what is currently flowering at the nursery, pair cool-weather favorites like hellebores (which pop up early on) with warm-weather successors like summer snapdragon (which you can grow with these seeds from Amazon),' he says.
By planting both plants currently in bloom and starter plants for those that flower later in the season, all the roots can establish and the display will be continuous without needing to disrupt and completely replant the pot.
Check plant labels at the nursery for information on which flowers will come up a few weeks after your others fade.
You can put the early blooms at the front of your container and the later blooms at the back for low-maintenance. This will make it easier to remove early faded flowers.
Or, mix them for more layered planting – this can be a good technique for perennial container plants, giving you a low-effort returning display.
Our guide to container flowers to plant in May has more inspiration for blooms to get in your pots now for a display that lasts into summer.
You can also try making a bulb lasagna in fall, where you plant the later blooming bulbs (such as daffodils and tulips) on a lower layer than the earlier blooms (like galanthus and crocus).
'I suggest a 60/40 ratio of interesting foliage to flowers,' says Brandon. 'That way you can guarantee a lush, intentional look even when the blooms are in transition,' he advises.
Keep Deadheading
To prolong your container display even further, Brandon recommends some light maintenance.
'To keep the momentum going, deadhead spent blooms as soon as you see them. This will help redirect energy into new growth and you can achieve a second flush of flowers,' he says.
You can use these gardening snips from Amazon to make clean cuts when deadheading, maintaining plant health.
'I also recommend applying a slow-release fertilizer early in the season (like this bloom boosting granular fertilizer from Walmart) which will provide a steady supply of essential plant nutrients,' he says.
If your container is a perennial display, you might find it useful to put down a fresh layer of compost in early spring, too. This will replenish any depleted nutrients in the soil and support a stronger returning display.
What to Shop
These bypass pruning shears are ideal for essential pruning tasks. They cut up to 1" in diameter.
This beautiful canvas garden apron has multiple pockets to carry your tools. It has a neck and waist tie for a comfortable fit.
These long-sleeved gardening gloves have a gorgeous floral pattern. They protect hands and arms when tending to the garden.
FAQs
Do I Need to Remove Spent Spring Bulbs from My Containers?
This all depends on whether your spring bulbs are grown as annuals or perennials. Perennial bulbs (such as daffodils) are best left to dieback naturally, so they can store energy for next year. You don't usually need to remove them. Less reliable perennials that are more commonly grown as annuals (such as tulips) can be removed after blooming to make room for more planting.
If you've left it a little late to stagger container planting in spring this year, don't worry. It's really easy (and fun) to spruce up your spring containers for summer by refreshing the soil and plants, creating a brand new scheme for the warmest months ahead.
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