Summer is almost upon us. Is your patio or porch ready for entertaining? Many people use their patio or porch as an outdoor living room for the summer months. Even though you are surrounded by nature it adds more color and texture to your space by adding plants. Think about whether you want to add greenery or blooming plants. Both are great options, but let’s look at your space to see which plants might be the best choice.
Finding the right plants
One of the first things to think about is how much light is in your space. An open porch or patio is great for a variety of blooming and green plants. Are there areas of shade or will you be getting direct sun? Tropical potted plants like Hibiscus, Cannas or Lantanas make a bold statement and bring lots of bloom all summer long. Does your space have a trellis? Perhaps a Mandevilla or Passionflower can fill that space and create a living wall of color. How about a mix of pots and containers to fill a corner of the porch. Think about color combinations and textures as well as varying heights to create a focal point.
Will you be cooking in your outdoor space? Consider herbs or vegetables in your container gardening. There is nothing better than picking fresh herbs and salad ingredients. Do you have an umbrella or gazebo with curtains? Perhaps the area is a little more shaded. Not a problem. There are still a wide variety of blooming plants that love the heat and some shade. Begonias, Impatiens and Fuscias thrive in the shade. Many green plants do well in the shade and you can even find non-flowering plants like the Coleus, that come in a variety of colored leaves.
Care for your outdoor plants
Whether you are using flower boxes, containers or hanging pots, the care of your outdoor plants is very important in the summer weather. Plants need five basic things to survive- sunlight, water, proper temperature, air and proper nutrients. Check your plants when you purchase them to see the amount of sunlight they prefer. Watering daily is essential in the summer. Plants do best when watered in the morning before the day heats up. If the temperature is above 85, many plants may need to be watered again in the afternoon. Don’t water at night as many plants develop fungus if their roots stay wet at night. Don’t depend on summer rain to keep your plants watered. Check the soil to see if it is moist before watering.
Plants need air for photosynthesis. Plants will thrive in the proper temperature. Pansies love the cooler weather, but when the temperatures rise, they have a hard time and will wilt and stop producing flowers. If you can find a shady spot for them, perhaps they will bloom again in the fall when the temperatures cool down.
In addition to carbon dioxide and water, plants need 17 other nutrients to grow. It is important to have a good soil mixture for the plants to grow. There are three main macronutrients that are mixed into the soil mixtures. Nitrogen for healthy foliage growth, Phosphorus for flower development and Potassium for root growth. As a general rule you should fertilize your potted plants every 2-3 weeks. You can mix it into the soil directly or you can use a good quality water soluble plant food. Alternatively you can use the plant food weekly by cutting the strength in half.
Visit the Garden shop
Feeling a little overwhelmed with all this information? Don’t worry. Visit your local florist like The Floral Gallery in Marlborough and they can assist you in finding the best plants for your outdoor living space. Most florists and garden shops will have a variety of hanging plants, potted plants and container gardens to choose from. We hope you are inspired to decorate your outdoor living space with plants. Just remember to have plans in place if you go on vacation so that your plants won’t be neglected. Who knows, you may enjoy your space so much that you may just have a staycation in your new oasis.
Tags: Care for Outdoor plants, Visit the garden shop
