What Kinds of Planters Would Work Best for a Hummingbird/Butterfly Seed Mixture?

Planter Placement

• Hummingbird and butterfly seed mixes commonly include flowering plants that grow rather tall. Rose mallow, for instance, attracts butterflies and is included in some hummingbird/butterfly mixes. These plants can grow to a height of 4 to 6 feet. Foxglove may also be included in the mix and can grow to as tall as 5 feet. Seed mixtures that contain these tall plants should be grown in planters sitting directly on the ground, deck or patio. If they are planted in raised planters such as those that sit on a balcony railing, the flowers could be 8 or 9 feet high. They may still be visited by hummingbirds and butterflies, but at that height, it would be difficult to appreciate them.

Width and Depth

• The width of the plants should be taken into consideration when determining the best planter to use. Cornflower plants are 1 to 3 feet tall and up to 2 feet wide at maturity. Lemon mint attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. It is included in most butterfly/hummingbird seed mixes. Each plant can grow up to 2 1/2 feet tall and 1 foot wide at maturity. The planters should be at least 2 feet wide to contain these plants. Depth must also be considered when choosing a planter. Many of these plants are perennials that come back each year, developing extensive root systems. The planter should be a minimum of 8 inches deep to provide room for root growth.

Drainage

• The hummingbird/butterfly seed mixture plants will generally grow in a wide variety of soil types, even though individual species may grow best in sandy or loamy soil. Good drainage, however, is required by all of the species, regardless of preferred soil type. The planter must have drain holes in the bottom. Sugar pots or kettles work well as hummingbird/butterfly mix planters if you have enough room for them. They are available in sizes ranging from 3 1/2 to 7 feet in diameter and are over 1 foot deep, providing plenty of room for mature plants. These planters generally do not come with predrilled drainage holes in the bottom, though. Drainage holes can be drilled in the bottom of the kettle prior to planting using a drill with a metal drill bit.

Planter Material

• The best material for the planter to be made of depends as much on the caretaker as on the type of plants grown in it. How quickly the soil in the planter dries is influenced by what the planter is made of. Clay planters are porous and allow the soil in the planter to dry quickly. Hummingbird/butterfly mixtures may need to be watered every day during hot weather when clay planters are used. Fiberglass and metal planters are nonporous. They will retain moisture longer than clay. Hummingbird/butterfly mixtures in a nonporous planter may only need to be watered once or twice each week. If watering the plants every day is not a problem for the caretaker, then clay planters work fine. Otherwise, a nonporous material would work best.