FUN GLOW-INTHE-DARK POTS FOR SUMMER GROWING

Glo-in-the Dark Flower Pots

 Solar lighting is very popular in gardens today.  It’s a great idea- place your solar lights in just the right spot to create a focal point at night, activate the light bulb and let it charge up in the sun. Not all solar lighting is created equal however.  Some work well initially and then will not function anymore. Others require expensive replacement bulbs or batteries that sometime cost more than the item did originally.

Here’s a fun way to achieve a cool effect in your garden at night using  outdoor glo-in the dark paint on flower pots. You can makeover old pots or use new ones.

What You Need:

A grouping of three flower pots that work together.  Terra cotta or cast foam pots work the best because they both hold the paint well.  Plastic looks cheap and does not hold the paint well.  Of course, I used hypertufa pots because they really hold the paint well!

Wire brush and coarse sandpaper

White exterior primer

Brushes and plastic drop cloth

Exterior Glo-in-the-dark paint  Here is a very good source:

              https://www.technoglowproducts.com/glow-in-the-dark-paint/

Polyurethane (optional)

What You do:

1.  If you are using an old pot, use a wire brush and/or coarse sandpaper to remove paint, dirt or debris from the surface. If you are using a new pot, rough up the surface gently with the sandpaper for good adhesion of the paint. Either way, flush with water and allow to dry thoroughly.  It works great to allow the sun to do this and heat the pots as well.  They absorb the paint even better this way.

2. Spread out your drop cloth and place the pots to be painted upon it.  Using a brush, paint the areas you wish to glo-in-the-dark with a good thick coating of the white primer.  Be careful not to drip where you don’t want paint.   You might paint one or two of the pots completely white- all of the outside, up and over the top edge and down into the pot at least three inches.

3.  The third pot should ad a bit of a twist. Perhaps this pot is striped or polka-dotted.   You could even do handprints for the fun of it.  What ever you do, establish a single motif and repeat it.   Keep it simple so your plants within the container remain the stars.

4. Allow the primer coat to dry thoroughly, in the sun again, if possible.

5. Paint all of the primed areas with a coat of the glo-in-the -dark paint. Repeat this step 3-5 times to build up a good layer of the glo paint.  Allow to dry between coats.

6.  You can add extra protection by coating all areas of glow paint with a coat of polyurethane varnish.  This is available in Gloss, Semi-gloss and Satin.  If you like shiny use the gloss or you might prefer the more subtle satin finish.

6. Allow the finished pot to dry thoroughly and you are ready to plant!