Vail Landscape Logic column: Pitch the petunias and plant some pansies

Fall is in the air and we're ready to see the colors of the new season on our porches and around the patio.

The last week of September and first week of October are generally the best weeks to freshen the containers and beds with brilliant fall color. The night-time temperatures are much cooler and there are fewer hours of daylight. With the hot days of summer behind, plants can now settle in without heat stress and their roots can take off to get set for winter.

Pansies and violas are the standbys of fall flowers and for good reason. They are hardy enough to bloom throughout the fall and even during the winter. Best yet, they'll be back early next season with bright spring color.

If you're a Bronco fan, make a porch container of pansies in team colors.

o Use a bright orange or blue container.

o Fill it with team-colored pansies

o On Bronco Sundays, poke in the team banner attached to a stick or dowel and show your support.

Other great fall bloomers are aster and mum. Find your favorite colors ranging from lavender and purple to soft and brilliant yellow to rust and bronze. Most asters and mums are perennials you can plant this fall and enjoy for years to come.

Don't forget foliage for fall combos

Foliage adds drama when included with flowers because of the deep shades and texture that make these primarily foliage plants distinctive. Incorporate ornamental kale, sedum, coral bells and ornamental grasses into containers and beds alike. The deep hues and texture of the foliage will backstop flowering plants and make their color pop.

Follow this link:
Vail Landscape Logic column: Pitch the petunias and plant some pansies