These plants can also make great specimens for fall containers after the heat of summer has waned. These plants will thrive right up into the first snowfalls of late fall and early winter. Many spring container gardens are planted with spring bulbs, which add a much-needed pop of color to the drab colors of winter in colder climates. Our selection, however, focuses on five less common plants you can plant in pots on doorsteps, patios, and decks in early spring. Pansies and their smaller cousin, violas, are cool weather lovers and will fade and become leggy when it gets too warm. Fertilize lightly during the growing season—too much fertilizer will cause them to get leggy, but if they don’t get a bit of feeding, they won’t flower. You can plant pansies and violas together or with other cool-weather spring annuals. You can also pair them with perennials, such as coral bells (Heuchera) and creeping Jenny. In a mixed container, you can replace them with different plants later in the summer as they fade.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 10; usually planted as annualsColor Varieties: Blue, purple, red, rose, yellow, apricot, maroon, white, black, orange; solid, bi-colors, often with dark center blotchesSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Moist, general-purpose potting mix
Keep cineraria moist, not wet, and never let the plant dry out completely. Large pots with plenty of good, moisture-retaining potting soil will increase your odds of success. Like most heavy-flowering plants, cineraria should be fertilized regularly. This mounding plant plays well with others or looks great on its own. A spiller plant, like creeping Jenny works nicely with cineraria.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11; normally grown as annualsColor Varieties: Cobalt blue, light blue, lavender, magenta, pink, white; contrasting white eyes, solid, and bicolorsSun Exposure: Part shadeSoil Needs: Moist, general-purpose potting mix
To keep oxalis happy, fertilize regularly and keep them moist, not wet. If your plant starts getting leggy, cut it all the way back to rejuvenate it. No deadheading is necessary.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11; grown as annuals elsewhereColor Varieties: YellowSun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Medium moisture, general-purpose potting mix
These plants react badly to having wet feet, so make sure to use a well-draining potting soil that is somewhat on the dry side. Mixing in a slow-release fertilizer will improve leaf color and blooming. They can be planted by themselves as specimens in large containers, or with other annuals as spillers around the edges of a pot. When grown in pots, these perennials can be moved in late fall to a dry, protected location for overwintering, then set out again the following spring.
USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9Color Varieties: Red, white, coral, pink blooms; various foliage colors and patternsSun Exposure: Full sun to part shade (depends on variety)Soil Needs: Dry to medium-moisture potting soil
Oregano, cilantro, thyme, sage, mint, lemon balm, and chives are also herbs that are suitable to include in your mixed containers. Along with kale, consider other spring greens such as spinach and chard.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 11; normally grown as annualsColor Varieties: Not grown for flowersSun Exposure: Full sun to partial sun for leafy greensSoil Needs: Medium moisture, general-purpose potting mix
