DAVE PLANTING HIS FLOWER POTS

This spring I asked my friend, Dave, if he would let me observe how he plants his beautiful flower pots.  Dave has a keen eye for color and choosing a unique plant to ad grandeur to his creations.  Just before Memorial Day I got the call and ran over to Dave's with my camera.

 

Step 1.  Grab a brewski.

 

 

 Step 2.  Grab your spicimens.  Or tools.  Or your wife, or your neighbor's wife.  No don't do that! I'm kidding.

 

Trowels and a SOUP spoon-seriously?

 

 

 

A squirt of sunscreen on the arm.

                                           Now the other arm.

 A little on the knees please.

And a 1 and 2 and 3 and 4............drumm roll.

Dave can play a mean 'crate drumb'.

Dave uses last years soil and places it in the bottom of the pots to partially fill them.

 

Then he adds a good soil mix with water holding crystals to fill the pot.

 

Stir, swirl, poke, sniff.

 

It's almost ready.  Would you like a taste?

Oh yes, all the plant name tags go into one container and are saved for one year, two days, and three hours.  This way he remembers what he planted in the event of a memory loss, cranial disection, or too much warm beer.

                      Here he spoons out a divet to place the flower into.

 

There she goes, right where he pointed.

                                              Add a sprig of this.

 

And a splash of that.

Pot number 1 is complete and beautiful with varigated shades of green.

 

Now for pot #2.

Well hello Frisky, Do you want to dig in the dirt with Dave?

 

                          Those legs are getting pink, more sunscreen.

 

                                   Add a little Lemon Symphony.

                                           Add a Purple Petunia.

 

Soil mix.

 

Help, don't stick me in bloom first!  Turn me over!

 

 

Dave just planted the top of his hat with petunias.

Clever idea.  It will keep your brain from frying.

 

Here he uses a cup to add the last few inches of soil around the plants.

 

He uses the spoon to move the plant.

 

And I use my fingers to add some creamer to my coffee.

 

         Notice how clean the driveway is.  He has not spilled a drop.
                                        And neither have I.

 

Starting pot # 25.

                                           Starting pot # 37.

                              

 

This entire planting season, from April to June, or it seems like it.............Dave has narrated.  He expressed the importance of buying from a reputable nursery, using good soil, good beer, how he arrangnes colors and plants to compliment each other.  He also said a few things not at all related to flowers that I can't print.  All I can say is, "he is quite a poet".

The sun is getting hot!  The plants and I need some watering.

 

This cool elongated pot has a groove in the bottom so it can sit on a deck railing.  Keep watching.

Should we sterilize these instruments again?  They are dirty.

 

This is what I really came to see.  Dave planting the Mandavilla in a beautiful pottery vessel.

 

Testing the placement.

                                       Twist it a little to the left.

 

Remove the container and let the roots stretch their little fibers.

Dave stretches too.

 

It's in! 

Dave adds a beautiful trellis to hold the plant as it grows tall.

Add more soil on top.

                Now place the other flowers in their final resting place.

 

This is looking georgeous.

You are too Dave!

                                        WHALLA.  BEAUTIFUL.

This is not a flattering picture of us, but I'm not 20 anymore, sadly.

                         This is the pot that sits on a deck rail - cool.

 

            Thanks so much Dave, I really enjoyed my planting lesson.