This DIY stacked flower pots project is simple to create and makes a great statement on your front porch.
I have two large black pots that flank our front door. I'm always trying to find ways to add height to the area and today I'm using stacked pots filled with annual flowers in different colors.
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Choose three clay pots in descending sizes. Make sure that your pots have drainage holes.
You could also do this with plastic pots. However, I like the look of terracotta, they are nice and sturdy, and often I find that they are pretty inexpensive.
The largest pot sits straight on the black pot which is filled with soil from last year.
Then I used plastic nursery pots upside down in the bottom of the pot toward the back to support each clay pot. You could use more clay pots or empty tin cans from the recycling bin.
Here's what they look like all stacked. Now you just have to fill in with flowers and potting soil.
Planting the Stacked Flower Pots
Ipomoea Lime
I wanted to use a variety of plants and one I knew would work well is sweet potato vine. Look how well it grew in this same pot during a previous season.
In the bottom pot, I used two chartreuse sweet potato vines and one dark purple super petunia in the middle.
Next, I used a mix of calibrachoa or million bells on the second layer.
Note: It's a good idea to place the plants a little on their side to encourage them to spill over the front. However, they will eventually do this naturally.
For the third layer, I used some lobelia and sweet alyssum. These should fill out but not trail as much.
Finally, for the top pot, I used Salvia Victoria Blue. It will grow up and fill out slightly.
More Flower Choices and Ideas
Of course, the plant types you choose need to correlate to the appropriate sunlight needed for the planting site where your terra cotta pots will be placed. In my case, these plants like full sun and may tolerate some shade.
Also, you could use a variety of herbs or succulents instead of annual flowers. In fact, you could grow edibles like strawberries, lettuce, and other vegetables. This would be convenient if you live in an apartment and are limited to a small space.
Here are a few recommendations to consider.
Plants for the top pot: Tall growing annuals such as Salvias, Zonal Geraniums, Zinnias, Dahlias, Gerbera Daisy, Browallia, and Angelonia.
Short spreading plants for the second pot: Lobelia, Alyssum, Begonias, Torenia, and Ageratum.
Trailing flowers for the bottom two pots: Calibrachoa, Super Petunia, Sweet Potato Vine, Trailing Verbena, and Lantana.
These stacked flower pots filled with colorful flowers already look beautiful on our front porch but I can't wait to see how they will look as they grow.
Annual flowers, one tall and the others fillers or trailing annuals.
High quality potting mix
Instructions
Set your pots on top of the planter using cans or empty plastic pots upside down to support the pot above.
Fill the empty spaces around the pot supports with potting soil.
Plant a tall growing annual in the top pot.
Plant annuals that fill but don't grow too tall in the next size pot below.
Plant trailing annuals in the last two planting spaces.
Water thoroughly and continue on a watering regimen about every 2-3 days unless there is significant rain using a bit of soluble fertilizer.
Notes
I felt that the plastic pots and clay pots were pretty sturdy once they were planted. However, depending on the type of pots you use and the area where the planter is set you may need extra support. One thing you can do is place a long dowel rod through the drainage holes. However, if you do this then your support pots will also need to have a hole in them so that the rod can go through all the clay pots, the support pots, and into the main planter.
Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.
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