When that crisp feeling is in the air and the trees are showing off their brilliant colors, what a lovely time to fill your GreenStalk garden with autumn blooms! Generally, we recommend buying starter plants to fill up your GreenStalk with seasonal flowers, but a few noted flowers are easily grown from seed if you prefer. Also note that any of these can be grown in the GreenStalk Original Vertical Planter or GreenStalk Leaf Vertical Planter. These are a few of our flowering fall favorites!
Mums
We’ll start with one of the most quintessential fall flowers, the mum. When purchasing mums, look for plants that are not yet in bloom. This ensures you get to enjoy every minute of its flowering show. But you could also transplant an already-blooming mum too! Easily root-bound in pots, a GreenStalk tier allows mum roots to stretch and thrive. You will get the best blooms in full sun. But it’s important to note, these are thirsty plants! One of gardeners' biggest mistakes with mums is letting them dry out. So check the soil daily and water as needed for gorgeous autumnal blooms.
Mums thrive in GreenStalk Planters and provide vibrant fall colors.
Asters
This happy daisy-like flower is sure to add some fun to your fall GreenStalk. Look for variety with a smaller (12” or so) maturity height. Because asters love cool days and nights, they’ll bloom beautifully in the fall. Only plant one per pocket and keep them in full sun to prevent leggy growth. If your variety is a perennial, you can cut it back almost to the soil level for winter. Read more about overwintering your GreenStalk here.
Asters are a favorite among gardeners looking to extend the blooming season into the cooler months.
Marigolds
Known for classic fall colors of yellow, gold, and orange, these flowers pull triple duty in the garden. They are beautiful, they are great for attracting pollinators, and they deter many pests. Win, win, win! These could be grown from seeds if there is a specific variety you love. Marigolds germinate easily in the late summer-warmed soil, or 1-2 weeks after the last frost, and most varieties will have blooms about 8 weeks or less from sowing. They’ll need full sun or they could be susceptible to powdery mildew. Deadhead regularly (this just means cutting off wilting flowers) to encourage more flowering throughout the fall.
Violas
These sweet little flowers may look delicate but they are actually quite hardy! They are quite happy in cool temperatures. And while they don’t like heat, they do need sun. Native to woodland settings, lots of filtered sunlight is ideal. Aim to keep the soil moist but they will forgive you if they dry out just a little in colder temperatures. Violas are easy to grow from seed but will take 12-14 weeks to bloom, so again, we prefer starter plants from a local nursery. Viola's compact size makes them a lovely little addition in a GreenStalk Leaf Vertical Planter.
Dwarf Morning Glories
These blue-flowering beauties are not the same as those invasive vines that might come to mind when you hear the name. Dwarf morning glories are a mound of tiny flowers that will keep coming until the first frost. Keep them consistently watered, but be careful not to overwater. Give them full sun and trim back any leggy growth to encourage a thicker plant with more blooms. These can be grown as perennials, but they would become woody and unruly after a couple of seasons. So we recommend planting from starter plants and growing it as an annual.
Pansies
A sea of trays with gorgeous, velvety pansies at the local nursery seem to proclaim the arrival of fall and thereforemust be included in your fall GreenStalk! Only kidding. Kind of. These cool-weather-loving flowers can bloom almost any time of year but they truly put on a show in the fall. Place them in full sun and water daily—don’t let them dry out between watering. If you tend them well, pansies have been known to keep their blooms through the winter, even in snow.
It’s worth noting that pansies (and violas) are edible and make a lovely salad garnish. Bunnies love them too but will never get a taste when they’re up high in your vertical garden!
Snapdragons
Last but certainly not least is the charming snapdragon. Reminiscent of a cottage garden, they are available in a variety of saturated colors, making them a beautiful addition in the fall. If planted in the spring, they will slow their blooms through the heat of summer and pick back up in the fall. Plant them in full sun to part shade. Water consistently, but well-established plants will tolerate the top inch or so of soil drying out. In a GreenStalk, as with any other potted plant, stick a finger down into the soil of each tier daily, checking the moisture levels. Lastly, deadhead your snapdragons regularly to keep those blooms coming.
Snapdragons can add a whimsical touch to your garden.
What flowers do you grow in your GreenStalk in the fall? Let us know! For more information about growing in your specific climate, check out your local extension office. We’re here to help you grow — just email us at support@greenstalkgarden.com.
Happy gardening!
