CLICK PLANT GROW Blog Circle: Spring Clean Up Cont'd

We have had a few wonderfully warm spring days this past week in the northeast. I took advantage of the warmer weather and tackled some more spring clean up.  Cleaning out the flower pots were next on the list.  This past fall was the first year that I did not get to cleaning them out and storing them under cover properly for the winter.  Well, lesson learned. Not only does the previous fall clean up help make the spring prep much easier, it also extends the life and beauty of your pots. Mine did not hold up so well during the winter out in the elements.  Some of my clay pots did crack. For example, see the off-white pot below.  

Here are some of my weathered pots in need of TLC. Please excuse the harsh quality of light in these photos. A beautiful, sunny, cloud free blue sky day is great for outdoor yard work, but not so good for photographs. 

From clay pots cracking to color fading on the plastic planters....

To paint peeling right off.  

The pots were gathered, emptied, washed and scrubbed in preparation for their little face lift.

What did I use? Good old spray paint. I had a number of spray cans left over from last year.  I have to say that the Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover is by far the best.  Fast, full coverage with less coats.   FYI - I recommend using gloves if you use this variety of spray paint. Otherwise you may be scrubbing your hands for two days with a Scotch brand green scrubby in order to get the paint off your skin. 

Here they are after a fresh coat of paint. Now, all they need are some pretty flowers.

 I have this old chair and use it as a plant stand on our back porch. One of the large yellow pots sits right in the middle of it. The finish was old and chippy when I picked it up free from a yard sale a few years ago. However, the chippy paint has steadily fallen off. It is in need of a new finish but I am not sure exactly what to do with it. Anyone have any suggestions?

Around the yard there has been some more signs of spring.  Remember the demonic looking Snowball Bush flower bud from my last post? 

 This is what it looked like two weeks ago. 

This is what it looks like now.  Little by little it is getting there! 

What other signs of spring have we had? Why the return of the Dandelions of course!  

What signs of spring have you noticed?  

Please continue along the Click Plant Grow blog Circle and visit Susanna at My Life In Color and check out what is going on in her garden. 

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Happy Spring, 

Lisa