Make Every Plant Count… you can do more with fewer plants

[@JessicaKeeton-ou9re]

I've been gardening for 20 yrs and have stayed away from hanging baskets most of my life. I bought 1 from a nursery and it was not successful. Now I know it was definitely due to too many plants being put in the pot to make it look big. This gives me so much confidence in making hanging baskets this yr. I just bought all my flowers and now know I can make so many more hanging plants. The reason I love this channel is because so many nursery owners wouldn't give this info because it could mean people buying less plants from their business. The honesty and information we get from you not only makes us better gardeners but gives us so much education on different plants. It's because of this channel that 99% of the plants I bought this yr, I've never used. So excited to try new things.

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

Good luck with the baskets! If you’ve for good-performing plants, regular water, and fertilizer, you should have success.

[@summerofstacey6676]

Corey, great video. This is a topic that I’ve been mulling over for a while now. I know that I have been previously influenced by a huge gardening channel on KZbin where she plants many, many more plants in a container than I ever would. But she has access to many more plants than I do. It is so important for me to take a step back and realize I don’t have to do everything or anything the way I see other channels do it. Thanks for making this video. 💯

[@pattieb8214]

Amen!! Well said. I know exactly what/who you are talking about. I too have listened to that advice. I am not a wealthy super gardener with limitless resources. I love these super plants, but need to make my dollar stretch as far as possible. Thank you for speaking up.

[@judyingram-kh1vm]

Your so right. I watch a UTube channel also where she just crams as many plants as she can in pots. They are so beautiful right off the bat. That's her job and she does beautiful stuff. I'm just a disabled 64 year old woman on a fixed income. I always just do the best I can and I'm happy with it. I plant alot of Dollar Tree seeds, they do great. My grown married daughters , both of them usually get me something pertaining to my flower garden's for Mother's Day. My husband and went plant shopping yesterday and I got to get quite a few plants I have been wanting.❤

[@saraheck7898]

Hi Cory, native Michigander here (hailing from Holland) living in DFW. Oh, how I wish you were my neighbor! Seems I'm the only plant lady in my neck of the woods. I'm always outside tending to my babies. ❤ Since I can't find folks to talk gardening with, I get my fix listening to you. Thanks! Keep blooming 🌼

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

You can hang out here any time 😀

[@fizzypop1858]

This was so helpful. I listened to a very popular garden channel that uses Proven Winners and was taught to pack as many plants into a container as I could, but this is so much more sensible. Thank you for the encouragement to pull it back by half, because I know I'll get much healthier, happier plants doing this method.

[@Darkquark-u5]

Same! Some of them pack like 8 plants onto the pots but just one potted on the ground gets so big so why would I put extra for extra $$$$

[@judyanderson8782]

They want you to buy plants.

[@fostbobb]

She did not teach you to put that many plants in a container. She has always said that is what she likes for us to do what's best for us. I've always did less, because that just be too many plants to me and just look awful once they mature.

[@terridee9637]

I usually over plant my containers then in early June I rework them, taking out plants that are getting swallowed- using these to make new containers. Love it! Thanks Corey. You are my favorite flower personality now! ❤❤❤

[@summerofstacey6676]

I’ve done that too!

[@Picky_Mickey]

Thank you for posting something that makes sense. I'm so tired of these Proven Winners shills making people think they need to over pot your arrangements. I started watching one the other day where this lady tried stuffing at least 12 plants in an 8x12 box! I have a 15 foot bed in front of my house. I use 7 supertunias for the front row. That's it! It fills beautifully!

[@lizhorton5333]

I use supertunias, geraniums, and New Guinea impatiens and begonias. People routinely comment on my flowers so I think its the soil prep, fertilizer and making sure the light and watering is fine.

[@alisonschooley5459]

Thank you for this video. I would describe myself as a rescue plant lady and shop the clearance racks. I have gotten amazing deals and brought back olive trees that looked dead, flowering plants of all sorts, bulbs from discount stores, and shrubs. I just look the care up and plant. I think keeping an open mind and strategic planning, as you suggest, are big money savers.

[@Terry-lh8cn]

I love the clearance racks!

[@lizcoffey7717]

Hey Cory Liz from NY You are so informative So great to realize we can’t all afford such expensive hanging baskets Such a pleasure listening to to you

[@theresaburg5881]

I just did my plant shopping for the summer. Rather than buying fewer plants, I bought more large containers to put them in 🤣 My local greenhouses need to stop selling such pretty plants. I usually buy them in the small 4 pack.🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻 This year I'm trying some new (to me) plants: sweet potato vine, thunbergia and sunpatiens; along with oldies, but goodies (dahlias, zinnias, petunias, rubeckia, marigolds).

[@bohnnco]

PW should listen to this. I decided awhile back that fewer looks better especially with the insanely vigorous supertunias, etc. One supertunia vista goes a long way. 5 in a 12" container is so unnecessary

[@vae884]

Another consideration is that the more plants in a pot, the quicker they drink up water and the harder it is to keep it looking nice when July, Aug starts to roll around. Having less plants in a pot gives you a bit more leeway in maintaining them during the superr hot and sunny days.

[@annalevenson7234]

Totally love your advice. I’ve learned a lot. I keep watching your posts.

[@annalevenson7234]

Honest advice.

[@peggy-ann1961]

Great information Corey! I plant just one El brighto coleus along with two dichondra silver falls in my two front entrance pots. It’s plenty and gets lots of compliments! 🇨🇦👏🇨🇦

[@michaelgray1123]

Great video.........lots of valuable information for people looking to save a buck. Thanks!!!!!!

[@rozl6178]

Excellent topic, Corey, and it’s so helpful to see examples to illustrate your points. Visuals definitely appreciated-Also love your style! 👍

[@niknakstoe]

Nice Job Corey! You are starting to become one of my favorite KZbinr out there! Very informative. Keep up the good work! ❤

[@reddog40]

Same here!

[@jacquelinelockett]

lol 🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️🤦🏾‍♀️. Guilty. My window boxes at the front of the house is good for 2 Sun Patience. 😆😆😆😆😆. I have 6 of em plus 6 alyssum. Mmmmhhhhmmm sure do. All different colors , really pretty but now that’s it’s warming up, they’re filling in nicely. Just being to kiss each other and the alyssum is beginning to cascade. I also have tall fancy planters at the front door and garage doors. I promise you 1 Sun Patience will do just fine. I know this to be true……i have 4😂😂😂😂😂😂plus the alyssum. Really showy in the summer. I know. I know. Don’t say it. I live in GA but I’m from NJ soooooo i have the patience of an ant. 😂😂😂😂😂😂. I ❤❤ your videos. You’re so cute. 😊😊

[@kathyness7928]

Great tips, thank you!

[@kelleyforeman]

I have big fabric planters that I hang on my fence. Last year I planted three petunias per pocket. This year I'm using just ONE!

[@yojeffschott]

Greetings from Kentucky! I love your channel. I really love petunias but haven't had much luck with them. I'm on a budget with my flowers and took a big chance with some Wave petunias on a marked down cart at my local big box store home/nursery. These poor plants were on their last leg. But like you, I am patient. I planted two 14" hanging baskets, trimmed the tips and fertilized them. The plants are doing SO much better! They are double in size ( which is still on the small size) but are looking great! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and I am thankful for finding your channel!🌸

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

So glad they are on there way… sounds like they’re going to do great. 👍

[@lucyvanlaarhoven5893]

Hello from Massachusetts. New viewer and subscriber here. Learning a lot from you! I have very good luck with New Guinea impatiens and sunpatiens

[@adventures4miles772]

Awesome video, thank you. You have answered many of my most recent questions I had, after going to my local nursery. Last year I remember paying about $50 per hanging basket, this year I took that money and got the smaller quarter sizes and now I can do soooo much more in my gardens and containers. Thanks again. Beautiful ideas 👍🌸🌼

[@sue3424]

I went with one sun patience per 12inch hanging basket this year. I love watching my plant grow from a tiny plant to an overwhelmingly beautiful plant. My backyard and patio are small so I really can't plant larger plants. I have learned to go vertical too, with window boxes which help a lot. Happy gardening.

[@carakellmeyer5037]

I take my hanging baskets apart because they are cheaper than the quart containers. At least that has been the case the last month in STL. Dont tell stores your secrets- I am looking for cheap annuals! 😀

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

I don’t think they’d listen to me anyway 😃

[@karenl.4014]

Thank you Cory...I totally enjoy your videos...as a gardener of over 45 years, I am still learning new things every day. PS... It's never mentioned too often but Browallia by Proven Winners is a knock out as they are resilient and who can argue with a blue/violet flower for shade...(also in white)

[@laurelharris8992]

Hi Corey Love watching your videos.

[@rhondapelletier2141]

GREAT INFORMATION….. It’s very hard to tell which ones are vigorous growers! Which I’m sure most of us are looking for……thank you so much!!

[@mandocool]

Thank you for illustrating the differences, it really helps

[@sandilehman6241]

Hi new viewer and subscriber and old old gardener. Want to thank you so much for this video. Learned the hard way less is more always. Others show putting so many in one pot and end result looks great now, but they can’t all possibly survive. I use the Rockin series and now one to a 15 inch container. Used three at one point plus others. Never worked well. Great to watch you. Thanks.

[@maryvickerd6002]

Just found your channel. Really like it. I like your less is more in containers. Thanks for all the info.

[@lauriemiller8954]

Thanks for the imfo! So glad i found your channel a couple months ago!😊

[@dlight9849]

In my experience, people tend to overplant just out of ignorance -- not knowing the growing habit of the plant. Even with my horticulture background, I've made combo planters that didn't 'play well with each other' lol.

[@muhammadmudassir7002le]

Very honest review

[@colsen4616]

Love your version of the PW Honey Bees recipe. Gorgeous! I’d never have considered it just looking at the over-planted version online. Supertunias and Superbenas are real workhorses for me. Tried Sunpatiens for the first time last year and wow! You definitely need to heed the tag because compact is only compact when compared to the vigorous variety.

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

Yes, we stick to the “compact” Sunpatiens as well 😄

[@liarossi123]

I love the PW rockin series! Deep purple, Fuchsia and Blue Suede Shoes. The plants are a show stopper and draw non-stop hummingbirds the whole season.

[@Doxie1914]

Thank you.! You are spot on with the container plant quantity and the plant growth quality. I learned from trial and error. Thanks again for video info.!

[@blessedwvfam9077]

Love your videos! So informative and helpful tips!

[@bk9852]

I like the sun patients so easy to care for

[@TheSherryKramm]

This video was extremely useful! Vigor and overplanting. Thx for this! Omi

[@lizcullum2094]

Thanks for this video. You're very kind to share this for people who don't know.

[@wheaties1435]

Yup proven winners is expensive but I buy less and have better looking flowers for the season. So worth it

[@kimhouston1234]

I agree with petunia. I like to put in each pot. I don’t like it when people put into 3 o4 in one pot…

[@karenlynn1956]

Thanks for the tips

[@Blufin_912]

I’m learning so much from you! I previously jammed as many plants into a container that would fit. This year, taking your advise, I am using the two or three plants method. Crossing my fingers! Thanks so much for the great content!

[@Darkquark-u5]

Can you do a video on making arrangements with the vines? Like coleus and potato vines? How should I combine that with petunias or other flowers? I love your videos, you are very informative and straight to point. Thanks!

[@michellehurst3797]

Thank you for this video! I live in southern Indiana and our flowers will usually bloom into mid-October. This was a great reminder to be patient and do the research on what plants will look like a few weeks or a month into growing season.

[@LifeHomeandGardenwithAnaRica]

I'm so glad to watch your video, such a very helpful tips. Thanks a lot

[@empresskimberly4410]

In a deck railing box 15” x 6”, I put just 3- a dragon breath celosia center, a sweet potato vine and a trailing coleus … now I’m a tad worried because the celosia was in a small 4 pack but the tag said 18 inches I think. Last year I way over stuffed them and ran into all the issues you mentioned. Water ran right through by the end of the summer.

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

Sakata, the seed company, says Dragons Breath gets up to 24” tall… so it should put on a good show. 🤞🤞🤞

[@larkepayne2146]

Great video.

[@judyingram-kh1vm]

Great informative video Corey, the plants you showed us are so beautiful. Thank you for sharing this with us. ❤

[@reddog40]

Great video and info Cory,Im one who has always did petunias in containers and I never have packed mine like I see others do a bigger pot i might do 3 for a combo and I have done one or 2 in big pots and have always had a beautiful outcome,I laded on the waves 2 yrs ago and those are my go too now, I have also gotten bigger plants and split them and get 2 or 3,I love to garden and it's the only way I can afford it pay a little more and get more for the buck, Now I love the purple with green edging I have to go ook for those 😆

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

Waves are a good go-to… especially since they are often available in multi-packs as well as seeds. Keep up the great work!

[@mq9413]

I truly enjoyed your tricks and tips, tks a bunch 🎉

[@regina953]

which fertilizer do you recommend?

[@suzettehebert9120]

Very good video. Thank you. I overplant nasturtiums…. Going to cut back to half this year.

[@mistygeller3193]

Awesome information!! Thank you so much!! I’ve always been too inpatient and my plants don’t thrive… imagine that! Ha, the problem is me not the plants 🤣

[@kr13100]

I got half inch plugs last year for my petunias ( unfortunately the ones that needed deadheading) but I only needed 5 of them to fill a 12 inch pot and over summer they were nicely trailing over.

[@rahrahgobg]

I planted a blue salvia in one of my pots in October. I’ve deadheaded it a few times and it’s starting to look sad. I’m in Arizona and the heat just amped up. I paid $15 for the plant (so a bigger one) and it really has grown by leaps and bounds. It started to be more robust end of March. I’m just hoping I can keep it alive throughout the summer. It’s in a pot I can’t really move. The intense sun of Arizona is a different full sun than what we’re had in East Texas.

[@reginaneufeld1092]

Love all your advice.. thankyou

[@alice_rabbit8345]

I love Picasso! Just bought some yesterday!

[@ernestinechersak4615]

Great advice! Finally common sense information. I hate pots that are over planted, crowded. It becomes survival of the fittest.

[@thistledowntreasures7990]

Thanks for another great video Cory. Started watching your channel a few weeks ago and changed my buying habit this year. Spent much less and have five pots instead of two. 😊

[@timcarrington5977]

Patient, is the key word you said, the customers don’t have any. I worked in a production nursery in Ontario and we put 4/5 petunias in a 12 in hanging basket (cell pack size) hang them in the greenhouse two months, pumped them full of water and fertilizer, to get them to sellable size by mid May. With the short length of our season, most customers don’t want to wait a month of the 4 month season to get a full hanging basket. Cell packs are $2.49 for 4 plants and the pw 4 inch pots are 6.99 each and that seems to be the biggest obstacle, plus we are lucky if our customers remember to water their baskets, let alone fertilize or dead head and pinch back when they get leggy. We had a lot of problems with our specialty petunias reverting and also not holding their colour. I like to plant my urns with a big mix of different annuals, and let them duke it out.

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

I had some containers duke it out last year. We find the Crazytunia series one of the worst for flower consistency. My goal is to change the hearts of at least a few people into embracing the growth cycle of the plants. I think slightly smaller plants in a container now that will be overflowing until frost beats a container that is full and vibrant for six weeks and then dwindles because it’s impossible to keep it alive without an intravenous drip of water and fertilizer. Appreciate you sharing your observations!

[@timcarrington5977]

@@UpNorthGardenMI yes it was the crazytunia for us too. I’m all about buying the small plants, so I can enjoy them until September. My entire yard is now native herbaceous perennials, shrubs and trees, but I still like to plant up my planters with annuals. Hope you have a good season.

[@dianneengelen3138]

Great video,thank you.

[@mariay.279]

Thx

[@mikec2810]

Great tips thanks as always Corey!

[@sandramichaud8033]

Liked and subscribed…great info. Maine viewer.

[@angelaescoffery7728]

I love your videos.What kind of food do you use for your hanging basket?

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

I use an Osmocote time-release every 30-45 days and weekly MiracleGro water-soluble. I usually use the bloom booster, but the regular works too.

[@laurakaiser7052]

In a large planter, do you fill the entire planter with potting soil, or do you use some type of filler (pool noodles, milk jugs, etc)? I find when it is all potting soil, the roots put all their energy into growing inside the planter, and not putting enough energy into producing flowers. Love your videos, you are very informative and honest.

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

I don’t use any filler unless I need to add weight (then I use bricks or rocks). It may take a little longer, but the plants tend to be bigger and healthier in the long run.

[@1211foster]

My neighbor asked if I was going to widen my driveway, since the Lantana planted alongside was taking over. Everything planted in that bed disappeared underneath a cloud of yellow. :/

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

Sounds like you might need to track down a less vigorous variety. Yikes. Here in Northern Michigan, lantana can be a slow-starter, so we lean on the vigorous types.

[@LynnZB]

Im trying to figure out how many petunias to plant in my 20" wide patio pot.

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

If they’re a vigorous variety like Supertunia or Wave, I’d probably go with 5-7 or 7-9 if you want them to fill in quicker.

[@LynnZB]

@@UpNorthGardenMI thank you!

[@elainewashington3004]

Finally so common sense when planting up containers. Many of us don't have a company that supplies us with plants plus many of us have a budget to live with!

[@WalkingbytheSpiritAlways]

This is so well said. I have lots of containers each year since my backyard is surrounded by large trees with a pool with concrete deck. Last year I got three different shades of Wendy's Wish salvia and planted them in large (18-20") pots with agastache and lantanas. Well they get huge and then the other plants died because they did not get enough sun. I am in Georgia, and the pots are only getting direct full sun for maybe 4-5 hours, but Wendy's Wish doesn't mind part sun. The hummingbirds really preferred it and the Black and Bloom(Blue). This year, for example, I am using the Rockin Purple instead and hoping it's a bit smaller planted with Summer Jewel Lavender salvia, lamium, Sweet Sunshine Blueberry Vein Petunia and a lavender angelonia in a 20 inch planter for instance. Already in two weeks, I barely see the angelonia. Not sure if I should cut back the others to let the angelonia catch up or go ahead and take it out since it's in the center. Any ideas?

[@bybudeie7841]

Great video! I was dreaming of making these really lush petunia balcony boxes this year. However Supertunias are not available in my country. Surfinia might be one alternative, but the trailing doesn’t seem to get that long?

[@janebentrott5984]

What water soluble fertilizer do you recommend?

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

MiracleGro, Beat Your Neighbor, Jack’s, and Proven Winners are all good.

[@barbaramccann7944]

Even in my 16” pots, I only use 3 vista supertunias and the containers are LUSH!

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

Yep! Once you see how huge fewer plants get, it makes sense to cut down on the number - only problem is when people expect a compact bedding variety to grow like it’s vigorous cousins… it’s just not going to happen.

[@marilynrichard6580]

Hi Corey, could you advise me on how many vista supertunias to put in a 15” urn planter. Could I use one and a prince tut or just two supertunia, I just don’t want to have too many or not enough. Thanks

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

Proven Winners says 5 to 7. I go with 2 to 4 and they look great. Putting in more will make them fuller faster… but they will be harder to water later in the season.

[@marilynrichard6580]

@@UpNorthGardenMI , thanks for your help.

[@marilynrichard6580]

One more question, I bought 3 snowdrift supertunias and they are branching out with flowers, should I clip them down?

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

@@marilynrichard6580 Thanks up to you... if they get fertilized and sun, they should produce more growth and fill in. If there are only two or three branches and they look "leggy," then I'd trim them to encourage more growth.

[@Darkquark-u5]

If I take cuttings from my petunias how long does it take for it to grow into a normal sized plant? I bought one of the vigourous variety and wondering if my cutting will be ready and yield proper petunias for this summer, I’m in the same zone as you, 5b

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

I haven’t grown from cuttings, only plugs, so I’m not much help to you.

[@judyanderson8782]

Last year I planted two coleos on either side of an azalea . All in ground. Those coleos got 4 ft tall by 3 ft. I have pictures. I didn't want that big of a plant. Now I'm scared to but coleos.

[@deborahanderson1686]

Thank you so much for this valuable information! I l learn so much from you!

[@Picky_Mickey]

Because of their practices, I don't trust Proven Winners or the people that push them so hard. Their tactics are so wasteful and not good at all in this economy.

[@UpNorthGardenMI]

What specific practices concern you?