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Local Living: Pansy Pots This has been a strange spring for figuring out what you should and should not be doing out in the yard. Heidi Heiland of Heidi's Lifestyle Gardens offers some tips on colorful plants and flowers that you can plant right now -- even if the spring warmth takes a chilly turn. Heiland says colorful pansy pots can be created right now as long as you stick to hearty accompaniments. WHAT TO PLANT NOW: Nemesias Ranunculus Alyssum Poppies Lettuce Spinach Primrose Daffodils Hyacinth Tulips Cyclamen Hydrangea Pansy Osteospermum Viola Icelandic Poppy Schizanthus Snapdragons Callibrachoa Fiber Optic Grass Ivy Lobelia Springeri Fern Vinca Vine *Many of these plants can be re-planted in garden areas where morning sun is abundant. MATERIALS NEEDED: Containers with good drainage Good potting soil Fertilizer (ie: Osmocote) and soil-moistening agent (ie: Soil Moist) Tall stems and twigs, cool-weather tolerant blooming plants, and trailing green plants Coffee filters Water PREPARING THE CONTAINER: To prepare the container, use a coffee filter at the bottom to help prevent soil from leaking out of the drainage hole. Good soil is critically important to the success of your planting. Premium potting soil mixes work best. Potting soils can be re-used for at least two years. Move the top layer of expired soils to the compost pile, and mix in some fresh potting soil. Most potting soil mixes have fertilizer and a soil-moistening agent included. If you are using existing soil, you may want to add your own. A great multi-purpose fertilizer like Osmocote® can be worked into the soil - read the label for proper amounts. Then add a soil-moistening agent like Soil Moist, which helps to keep the soils evenly moistened. Fluff up old soils and then push down to settle. Level the soil to allow 2" from the top of the container. CREATING A DESIGN: Using a "Thriller, Filler and Spiller" approach to the design, choose from the following plant materials. For the "Thriller" materials, which will bring height to the center of the pot, choose stems like yellow twig dogwood, any of the many types of willow stems, or even bamboo stems for a more contemporary feel. They look great and can be re-used for summer container designs. Some willows can take root and be re-planted in the garden. For the "Filler" plants, consider a mix and match approach. Choose from Nemesias, Ranunculus, Alyssum, Poppies, or Primrose. Infusing edibles like lettuce and spinach in the container is practical, fun and unique. Other traditional blooming favorites include Daffodils, Hyacinth, Tulips, Cyclamen, Hydrangea, Osteospermum, Pansy, Viola, Icelandic Poppy, Schizanthus, and Snapdragons. Many of these plants can be re-planted in garden areas where morning sun is abundant. For the "Spillers", consider Callibrachoa, Fiber Optic Grass, Ivy, Lobelia, Springeri Fern, and Vinca Vine. Many times these spillers can be left for the rest of the season, when there is care when removing the expired plants. WATER & MAINTENANCE: Water the newly created container and fertilize. BioPlex® Transplant Concentrate is a great option. Throughout the season, use a fertilizer like BioPlex® 12-4-6, or an organic fertilizer. Enjoy your Spring containers, and don't worry about bringing them inside unless the temps drop below 20 degrees!