5 Things That Are Making Your Fall Containers Look Bad, According to Gardeners

Fall is for planting, but those autumnal container plants need special care to look their best as the growing season winds down.

If your fall containers are looking more faded than festive, don't worry—there's hope. With the right plant selection, proper growing conditions, and regular maintenance, your fall container plantings can shine with festive color.

Here are 5 things that are making your fall containers look bad, according to two professional gardening experts—plus tips for how to get them looking beautiful again.

Not Choosing the Right Plants

As temperatures drop, summer favorites like petunias, begonias, and geraniums won't survive—but plenty of beautiful, cold-hardy fall container plants will.

"Make sure you're working with plants that work with your climate," says Celeste Starita, director of operations at Urban Jungle, a garden design company and plant shop in Philadelphia.

To know whether your fall flowers can withstand the cold in your region, check the updated USDA hardiness zone map before shopping for plants. Starita notes that it's important to consider nighttime lows when selecting fall flowers and plants—some may be able to withstand a light frost but not a hard freeze.

Go-to cold-tolerant fall flowers include pansies, hardy chrysanthemums, and asters, while coral bells and ornamental kale can enhance plantings with their showy, colorful foliage.

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Forgetting to Add Texture

Considering texture—the size, shape, and surface characteristics of each plant's leaves or flowers—will help you create an attractive, exciting fall container. A variety of textures, colors, heights, plant types, and growth habits are your best bet.

Tammy Sons, founder and CEO of TN Nursery in Altamont, Tennessee, recommends incorporating ornamental grasses among flowers and foliage plants to mix things up.

You can also consider adding elements like pumpkins, gourds, corn husks, or dried seed pods to enhance visual impact.

Using a Container That's Too Small

Planting in an undersized container, be it a square planter, rectangular window box, or large flower pot, will hinder your efforts to grow gorgeous fall container plants.

"Gardeners should choose the correct size container to accommodate plants' root systems," says Sons.

Without adequate space, plants can become overcrowded and compete for nutrients from the soil. They could also become potbound, limiting growth and contributing to a dull, lackluster appearance.

A good rule of thumb is to plant three or four plants in containers 10 to 12 inches in diameter, while five to eight plants can fit well in a pot that's between 16 and 20 inches across.

Not Watering Enough

Just because summer is over doesn't mean plantings aren't thirsty. In fact, cold, dry winds can quickly remove moisture from plants, and container plantings dry out faster than in-ground flowers. Without sufficient water, fall container plantings can wilt, dry out, or even die.

Consistent watering will help your plantings thrive and can even help insulate delicate root systems during a freeze.

"Inexperienced gardeners can often incorrectly assume that when the weather turns cooler, watering needs lessen," says Starita. "Remember to continue watering your outdoor plants daily."

In addition to regular watering, Starita also recommends adding a layer of mulch, which can help the soil retain moisture and further insulate roots from cold damage.

Other best practices for watering container plants include using the right soil, checking soil moisture regularly, and watering the soil surface rather than plant leaves.

Leaving Dead Blooms in Place

Deadheading isn't only for summer flowers. Cutting off dead or fading blooms is a must for making sure your fall container plants look their best.

"Gardeners should deadhead spent blooms and prune when needed," says Sons.

Using clean, sharp shears or pruners, snip off faded flowers just above the first set of healthy leaves on each stem. As a bonus, deadheading fall flowers like chrysanthemums will keep plants blooming for as long as possible.

Keep in mind that there are reasons to leave some spent flower heads on your fall container plantings. Varieties like hydrangea and late-blooming sedum can offer winter interest, while purple coneflower and black-eyed Susans can reseed and provide food for birds and other wildlife if you leave seed heads intact.