Little Lesson Number 9:

Updating A Summer Planter For Autumn

By Nancy K. Crevier

Life is a series of tasks. Some are easier to perform than others. Some are downright tricky. Some tasks we have mastered, while others remain, for one reason or another, a mystery. In the upcoming weeks, The Newtown Bee will present a series of short articles, “Little Lessons,” meant to light the way to a new or easier way to tackle those day to day duties, or even those less commonly encountered tasks, each one accompanied by a video at newtownbee.com. Welcome to the classroom.

Once people fall into the rhythm of autumn, they start taking a look at summer’s waning landscaping and outdoor décor, says Steve Fancher, who, along with wife Kasia and brother Mark, owns Shakespeare’s Garden on Obtuse Road in Brookfield, and that is when they realize it is time to update the planters and window boxes that have seen better days.

 “They look at their planters and realize that the petunias have stopped flowering and the other summer flowers are fading,” but they’re not sure where to begin, continued Mark. A busy fall schedule and the idea that it will be expensive to redo a planter are reasons enough to let the summer plantings wither away.

People believe that in order to update that window box or planter that they have to get rid of the entire display, but that is not so, said the garden experts.

“The whole thing can often be refreshed by just pulling the plants that are past their prime and adding a few new plants with fall colors, like yellows, golds, and bronzes,” Mark said. If the gardener was thinking ahead when planting in the spring, and utilized greenery such as creeping Jenny or foliage like the sweet potato vine, those plants can continue to serve as filler in an autumn display.

Soil does not need to be replaced for the fall, unless it is very rootbound, said Steve, “But make sure to get rid of the entire root mass if you are replacing a plant.”

Just as with a summer window box or planter, the fall design should include plants of different textures, colors, and heights. An autumn planter does not have to be all about mums, Mark added, as prolific and available as they are in cool weather.

“I use perennials like heuchera, creeping Jenny, some ornamental grasses, euphorbia, and some of the sedum varieties in the window box. The nice thing about using these perennials is that at the end of the fall season, they can be planted in your permanent garden where they will come back next year,” he said.

Ornamental peppers are a wonderful way to add bright reds and golds to a display, but less well-known varieties like the Black Pearl provide an almost black purple color. Pansies are thought of as a springtime flower, but are actually quite hardy, Mark said, and a nice contrast to chrysanthemums.

“I like grasses for texture and height. Toffee Twist and Leather Leaf Sedge are two of my favorites. They are naturally a brown color, and that looks nice with the yellows and golds of autumn,” he pointed out. Ornamental cabbages and kales are a wonderful means of adding greens and purples to a window box, and the colors actually deepen as the weather becomes colder.

Autumn Brilliance ferns are another favorite at Shakespeare’s Garden for fall planters.

“It has a beautiful bright green color and is nice and thick,” said Mark, “so it adds a lot of texture to the design.”

Other fall favorites suggested by the Fanchers include the Bourbon Street or Beyond Paradise Acalypha, a broad-leafed plant on slender stalks with a pleasing bronze tinge. Oracle, Angelina, Lemon Coral, or Vera Jameson sedums work nicely in planters, and Purple Lady Iresine adds color. Geraniums are also considered a summer plant, but the Vancouver Centennial is able to withstand cold temperatures, making it an excellent choice in a fall planter, said Mark.

Once the faded summer blooms are discarded and the newly rejuvenated planter is finished, it is important to protect it from pests.

“Check for cabbage looper worms and slugs, even in the fall,” said Steve. The soil can be drenched in a systemic insecticide for big infestations, or simply remove the worms by hand. Treat planters with a deer repellent, and if woodchucks are a problem, the Fanchers said that they have found the Deer Guard brand to be effective in preventing damage from the large rodents.

Planters and window boxes will need less water in the cool weather than in summer, but it is still important to check each day and water as needed, they cautioned.

 “It doesn’t have to be a big expense. Sometimes just the addition of a cabbage or kale and maybe some maroon plumed millet is all it takes to update the look, and you have a beautiful planter again,” said Mark.

To learn more about taking a planter from summer to fall, watch the video at www.NewtownBee.com (click on the Features tab and look for this story).