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Sunday, September 25, 2011

Frugal Fall Gardening

Fall container gardens add the last of color for the warm weather. Frugal fall gardening, growing coleus for today.

Come fall, I love to perk up my pots on the patio for the cooler lovely months of fall. Our weather is mild so we can grow flowers year round. But, committing to a more frugal walk, I just don't head to the nursery and load up on tons of flowers like I used to. I really like to re-use existing plants if I can and start new plants from cuttings.

These two pots on our patio flag the sides of our fire pit. It is actually the size of a spa I swear. When my dad was building it I came home from work and could not believe how big and high he built it. He said he wanted it safe for the grandkids. No risk of little ones falling into it.


The pots had summer annuals with a mum planted in the middle. I yanked everything but the mum and cut it way back. I plugged in some green trailing plants from the yard and gave the pot a load of time release fertilizer. From the nursery I brought home only three six packs of annuals, zinnias, lobelia and marigolds. 
I love the mix of oranges and purple for the fall. The coleus is from another plant I just snipped off a stem of.




Coleus is a wonderful plant to start from cuttings. At the beginning of summer I buy one plant. As it grows, I continuously snip off stems about 3-4 inches long and stick in other pots to start new plants. One plant this year became five. This was started from a snip at the beginning of summer and look how full it is now. Plus all the snipping of the plants makes them stay nice and full like this one.


There's a little one growing right now. It was started only a few weeks ago.

Here is the big daddy plant. The one and only I bought in June. Told you all the snipping makes them nice and full.


Impatiens love the cooler days of fall and just come alive then. These plants are years old. I just cut them way back every year in the winter and generously feed with time release fertilizer.

brick fire pit, brick patio

Here is the giant fire ring. I cleaned it all out the other day and now it is ready for our fall bonfires with smores of course.



16 comments:

  1. So lovely! Coleus happens to be one of my favorites.

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  2. Gorgeous! Not only your flowers, plants and planters, but your beautiful fire pit! Love the matching ledge/seating area. You are one lucky lady that your dad did this for you. Enjoy your smores! ;)
    Best,
    Gloria

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  3. Love your fire ring. I can just imagine how fun it is on these cool fall nights. Enjoy!

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  4. Oh Wow! I loved your Frugal Fall Gardening tips! I'll be out in my garden first thing in the morning putting some of them into action. Thank you for sharing!

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  5. I love your fire pit area!And brick is my all time favorite! Your fall clay pots look very pretty! :)

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  6. Oh my goodness, what beautiful & healthy plantings. I love the colors. Thanks so much for stopping by & leaving a sweet comment on my blog, BTW!

    Warmly, Michelle

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  7. Thanks for the great tips!
    I love coleus - there's such a wonderful variety of colours and patterns you can get them in.
    Your fire-ring looks very good too :-)
    blessings..Trish

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  8. :O I had no idea you had such an *awesome* fire pit!!! LUCKY!!!! Your post look great. I will be updating mine this weekend, I hope.

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  9. Oh I just love your fall flowers! I hope you will add your lovely metamorphosis to my Fall in Love linky party on Wednesday.

    Until then, stop by and see the under $20 makeover I gave an ugly brass light fixture.

    Happy Monday!

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  10. It looks beatiful Elaine. btw...I still haven't made it over to CGS! Maybe this weekend.

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  11. I love that color combination of the orange marigolds and the electric blue lobelia! And that fire pit that your Dad is built is the nicest I've seen!

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  12. Love the fire pit! I think coleus is an amazing plant. Really. It comes in so many different colors these days and it's so so easy to start new plantings.

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  13. Im going to buy a coleous and try that!!! LOVE the fire pit!!!!!!

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  14. Oh wow Elaine! Your flowers are beautiful! We have some harsh weather here, my ferns are burnt to a crisp. Your patio space is really nice!
    sHERRY

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  15. Sweet!
    Here in northern New Jersey, annuals are long gone from the garden centers -- we are fluffing our mums now!
    I love your fire pit. Does your Dad make house calls to the other side of the country?
    Cass

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  16. Oh my gosh, I'm so jealous of your mild winter! Here in southern Oregon I'm about to lose my flowers to frost. I'm switching to pansies so I can hopefully have some color thru the cold months. Love your yard and that fire pit would be perfect up here!

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