Transitioning Summer Pots to Fall

The time is getting near when we start to think about transitioning from vibrant summer pots to richly textured, seasonally-inspired fall displays. While summer pots have brought joy, some of their blooms may not brave the frost. Here are a few suggestions to think about when creating your fall statement pieces:

1. Keep the Best Summer Veterans. You don’t need to get rid of everything in the summer planter. We suggest keeping trailers like creeping Jenny and Dichondra, which will continue to offer graceful spills. However, make sure that the plant that is spilling is cold temperature tolerant. (Sweet potato vine is one of the spillers that don’t like the colder temperatures)  

2. Welcome Frost-Tolerant Textures. Standard mums, zinnias, and ornamental millet fit beautifully into fall containers. Ornamental cabbage in different colors, like ‘Pigeon Purple’ or ‘Osaka Red’, add rich, rosette-like texture and become more vivid as temperatures drop. Celosia, ornamental grasses, and peppers contribute height and structural interest while expanding your fall palette.

3. Branch Out Beyond Traditional Mums. Although mums are fall classics—lasting up to 4–8 weeks with proper deadheading, watering, and bud selection—other flowers like pansies, asters, sedum and marigolds add color, texture, resilience and longevity to the mix. 

4. Ornamental & Unique Gourds. Using ornamental cabbage, peppers, and millet adds visual interest. Incorporating different colored pumpkins, gourds, and corn fodder can help add the creative flair that you are looking for.

5. Longevity & Care. Watering at the soil level, placing them in partial sun and regularly deadheading mums will help blooms continue to produce.  These planters can last until Thanksgiving.

We don’t want to rush the end of summer, but as the temperature begins to drop, remember to transition your planters to fall textures with pops of color. If you need help with your fall display, take a look at our Seasonal Enhancements gallery for some inspiration.