Gone to Pot

My  first experience with an outdoor potted planter began pretty wishy washy.  I purchased three pots and returned the first two.  Danny was such a good sport to load the 40-50 pounds pots into his car, and then back again to the store.

After finding the "perfect" pot for us, I felt like I was cooking up a recipe. Danny was the mixer; adding potting soil, vermiculite, peat moss, and seedling starter soil. I felt like a chef with a little of this and a dash of that; only it was shovelfuls of things from the shelves in our garage. Danny mixed and stirred in the hot water until it was sublime.  

So we didn't have to fill the entire pot with soil we placed 80 pounds of rocks in the bottom.  When I went to purchase them the cashier showed me plastic containers of rocks like she had packed them for lunch.  I chose the river rock size, and then asked how large the bag was.  "Oh, like a sack of potatoes," she answered.  I debated whether I needed one or two.  "One," she said.  "Well, one it is," I agreed.  However when it came time to putting things together, I realized she didn't know how large my pot was, and I needed two.  Swell DaBell, Danny that is, ran back to the store and got another bag.  

Now does he look like he is having a great time, or what?

I am certain this is the only thing he would like to be doing after he has been standing on his feet all day at work.  

Now I get to do the fun part - actually planting the flowers.  I put some fountain grass in the center, with geraniums next, trailing sweet potato vine and verbena around the edge.    

I later learned there is potting soil with the fertilizer already mixed in, which I don't have.  For this year I will fertilize with blue Miracle Grow each week.  

I never realized how fun it is to plant in pots.  Maybe tomatoes, corn, or who knows what will be next. 

I sure was pleased with our efforts.