How to Brighten Your Kodiak Porch with Easy Potted Plants
Hi Kodiak! I’m Alana Schoenwether, and I’m back with a Green Gems & Sprouts tip to make your yard pop.
Sometimes a little effort can go a long way! Your beautiful green grass is the perfect backdrop for a bright spot or two of color—especially if I’m keeping it tidy with Alana’s Emerald Lawn Care 🥳.
Here’s how to add cheerful potted plants to your porch, stairs, or hanging baskets. It’s easy, even in Kodiak’s rain and slug central!
Kodiak summers are green and lush, but we get tons of rain ☔️ and slugs galore.
🪴Potted plants are the answer!🪴
They add color without much work. Containers keep plants off the ground, safe from hungry snails. You can grab gorgeous hanging baskets from Rooted. Here are some pictures of hanging baskets + potted plants in my yard from Rooted. The geraniums you see below I will tell you more about later!
Porch pots or stair planters make your yard welcoming. And the best part? They’re simple to maintain.
Here are 4 easy steps to keep them happy:
Check Water, Don’t Overdo It: Kodiak’s rain usually handles watering, but check pots weekly. If soil feels dry an inch down, add a little water. Don’t drown them—rain’s got that covered!
Pinch Off Withered Flowers: Snip or pinch faded blooms (called deadheading) to encourage new ones. Use your fingers or scissors. It takes five minutes and keeps plants blooming. Try it on petunias or fuchsias!
Feed Them Monthly: Sprinkle a slow-release fertilizer (like this one) once a month. It’s like vitamins for plants. Follow the package—easy peasy. If you are like my family and have a compost pile, consider adding some new soil each month. My mom also adds a few worms! 🪱
Clear Debris: Pick out fallen leaves or twigs from pots. It keeps plants healthy and stops slugs from hiding. Do it when you sip your coffee!
In late-fall, these brought cheer to my dad’s office on a rainy day. In the summer we put them back outside!
🪴 Potted plants on your doorstep add a cheerful focal point. At our house, we mix it up on the porch. I tuck a cinderblock behind some pots to lift one higher. It adds visual interest. I love cascading plants like Summer Wave or fuchsia—they grow up and spill over, looking full and bright.
Old pots flipped upside down make free plant stands. Hide a Sluggo container under it for easy access. And you have a storage place at no extra cost!😉
🐌 Slugs are sneaky in Kodiak. Sprinkle Sluggo (safe for pets) around pots periodically. Check pots in the morning—slugs love sneaking in overnight. Crushed eggshells around the base can deter them too. Or try copper tape on pot rims—it’s like a slug forcefield! If slugs still invade, I can trim nearby grass short with my Emerald Essentials service to cut their hiding spots.
Geraniums blooming in Kodiak during winter
Here’s a bonus: plant geraniums in pots! They bloom bright on your porch or stairs all summer. In winter, bring them inside. They’ll keep flowering with some sun. My dad rehomes our geraniums to his office and they will bloom in January—pretty cool, right?
Potted plants are low-effort, and low cost beautification opportunity. I keep prices low too—$35 for a mow and edging plus affordable hourly rates for planting help. Your yard stays green, colorful, and slug-free without breaking the bank. I am here to help your yard, or your front porch, become a happy spot for you to enjoy with little unwanted effort on your part!
More Green Gems & Sprouts tips coming soon!
—Alana
