Which plant stole the show in your container garden this summer? Was it the biggest harvest, the longest-lasting blooms, or just pure beauty? 🌸🍅🌿 Now’s your chance to show it off! 🎁 Prize: A wooden single plant floor stand (valued $25–$35) Adjustable to hold 8"–12" pots Flip it for two height options (14.5" tall) Non-slip pads for stability Rich reddish-brown finish How to Enter: 📸 Post a photo OR 🎥 video of your “Star Plant of the Summer” in the 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲, 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 category. 📅 Giveaway runs Sept 15–25. 🏆 Winner will be drawn randomly on Sept 26 and announced via video! Show us your star — let it shine! ✨

Chrysanthemums (or "mums") are the ultimate fall flower. They bring vibrant bursts of color to patios, balconies, and porches just when most summer blooms are fading. Grown in containers, they’re a show-stopper and surprisingly easy to maintain with the right approach. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐮𝐦𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥? * 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 – Rich shades of gold, burgundy, orange, purple, and white. * 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 & 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐞 – Perfect for pots, window boxes, or grouped displays. * 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 – Mums thrive in cooler weather and last well into autumn. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝟏. 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐭 * Choose a container at least 12–14 inches wide with good drainage holes. * Terra cotta or ceramic pots help stabilize mums against autumn winds. 𝟐. 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 * A well-draining potting mix is best. * Mix in compost to keep blooms vibrant longer. 𝟑. 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭 * Mums love the sun—place containers where they’ll get 6+ hours daily. * Morning sun is ideal; it keeps blooms fresh and prevents scorching. 𝟒. 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 * Keep soil moist but never soggy. * Water at the base, not on the leaves, to prevent fungal issues. 𝟓. 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 * Deadhead faded flowers regularly. * Pinch back stems in early summer (before buds form) for bushier fall blooms. * Fertilize every 2 weeks with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer until buds appear. 𝐒𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 ✨ Mix & Match: Combine mums with ornamental kale, pansies, or trailing ivy. ✨ Layered Look: Group pots of different heights for a tiered effect. ✨ Seasonal Touches: Add pumpkins, gourds, or corn stalks for a festive fall vibe. 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ✔ Choose a roomy pot with drainage ✔ Place in full sun ✔ Keep soil evenly moist ✔ Deadhead to extend blooms ✔ Pair with fall accents for maximum wow factor

If you’ve ever gone out to water your container garden and noticed a parade of ants marching across the soil, you might wonder: Are they helping—or are they here to wreak havoc? The truth is, ants can play both roles in your garden, depending on the situation. Let’s break it down. 🌱 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐬 Believe it or not, ants aren’t always the villains of the garden story. * 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: As ants tunnel, they loosen the soil, improving airflow and drainage for your plant roots. * 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧-𝐔𝐩 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐰: They carry away bits of decaying material, helping keep your containers tidy. * 𝐏𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: Certain ant species feed on small insects and larvae that could otherwise harm your plants. In these cases, ants act as tiny, unpaid garden helpers! 🐜𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 Unfortunately, ants aren’t always so friendly. * 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐬: Ants are famous for “farming” aphids—protecting them in exchange for honeydew. If you see both ants and aphids, that’s a red flag. * 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Large colonies can disturb soil structure and root systems, especially in small pots. * 𝐁𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: Some species (like fire ants) can sting or bite, making your container garden a less pleasant place to work. 🌼 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐨 𝐢𝐟 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐧 * 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐬: Look at the undersides of leaves. If aphids are present, address that issue first— ants are likely just tagging along. * 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡: A sprinkle of food-grade DE around the soil surface can deter ants without harming your plants. * 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬: Place your pots on saucers with a thin ring of water, or apply sticky barriers to pot rims to prevent ants from climbing up. * 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐬: Chemical sprays can harm your plants and soil life—opt for safer solutions. 🌿 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞 Ants in your pots aren’t always bad news. Sometimes they’re helpful little partners, and other times they’re bringing pests to the party. The key is observation: watch what’s going on in your containers, and you’ll quickly know whether your ants are friends or foes.

August 29th is More Herbs, Less Salt Day—a flavorful reminder that you don’t need to rely on the salt shaker to make your meals delicious. And for us container gardeners, it’s the perfect excuse to grow our own seasoning powerhouses right outside the kitchen door. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐆𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬, 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐭? While salt can enhance flavor, too much can contribute to high blood pressure, water retention, and other health concerns. Fresh herbs, on the other hand: * Pack a flavor punch without adding sodium * Contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants * Add color and aroma to your cooking * Are incredibly easy to grow—even in the smallest of containers 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐲-𝐭𝐨-𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 Whether you have a sunny patio or just a bright windowsill, these herbs thrive in containers: 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥– Perfect for pasta, salads, and homemade pesto. 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 – Strong and aromatic; pairs beautifully with roasted veggies. 𝐓𝐡𝐲𝐦𝐞 – A subtle flavor boost for soups, chicken, and potatoes. 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 – Mild onion taste that’s great in dips, eggs, and salads. 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐭 – Refreshing for drinks, desserts, and fruit salads. 𝑇𝑖𝑝: 𝐾𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑝𝑜𝑡—𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑎 𝑏𝑖𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑛 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫 * Pick herbs in the morning when oils are most concentrated. * Snip just above a leaf node to encourage bushier growth. * Use fresh right away or dry/freeze for later use. 𝐅𝐮𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 “𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐬, 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐲” 🌱 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐭-𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝 with your homegrown herbs. 🍅 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚 𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧-𝐭𝐨-𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐥 using only fresh herbs for flavor. 📸 Share a photo of your herb container garden in the community. 💚 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚 𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧-𝐭𝐨-𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐥, swap the salt shaker for scissors—snip a handful of fresh herbs and let nature do the seasoning. Your taste buds (and your heart) will thank you!

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