Autumn Harvest Flower Pots: How to Transition Container Gardens From Summer to Fall by Elisa Schmitz

One thing that makes me happy is gorgeous container gardens overflowing with flowers. One thing that makes me sad is throwing out the plants from summer to make way for fall flowers, especially when the container garden is still blooming in the pot. Not only is it a waste of precious live plants, but it's also a waste of time and money!

Good thing there are alternatives, especially during the fall harvest time. With so many colors and hardy plants to choose from during autumn gardening, you can create gorgeous harvest pots in no time at all, and for very little money. Instead of starting from scratch, here's what I do to create my harvest flower pots quickly, easily and on a budget:

Photo credit (all photos): Elisa Schmitz

1. Take a look at the pot to see what is living, then remove what is dead from the container. 
2. Freshen up the container garden with a bit of fresh potting soil and fertilizer. 
3. To the areas where you removed dead plants, put small- to medium-sized pumpkins to cover the empty spaces. As an alternative, you could add ornamental kale or cabbage. Get creative and have some fun with it (this year for Halloween, I added a plastic skull to a pot!).
4. To the other areas needing some color or height, add willow branches, pine cones, gourds, brightly colored leaves, tall grasses, etc. You can find all of this at garden centers, some grocery stores or even online. 
5. As summer plants continue to fade out, you can remove them and replace the empty spaces with hardy plants like mums or pansies.
6. Get creative and savor the process. This is a project you can do with family, friends or all on your own. Gardening is good for you, and it's a great mindfulness activity. Remember that the goal is to be in the moment and have fun!

I hope you enjoy your harvest pots and autumn gardening as much as I do. Here's my skull pot!

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