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Select water-wise plants that like it hot and dry, so you spend less time watering
I do n’t vex about the gage that need to be irrigate when I go on a summertime vacation . I vex instead about the kitty that do n’t need to be watered . Last summer I hired a very efficient womanhood to irrigate the many container throughout my garden . But there were certain plant I did n’t need her to weewee , even with the hot , ironic conditions we experience inJulyin Denver . Thesedrought - adapted flora , especially thecacti , like it dry out , so I put them on the flattish roof of our covered patio , where they could bake in the full , raging sun and be missed entirely by our enthusiastic waterer .
Learn more : Exciting Container plant for summertime
Plants like cacti , succulents , bitter aloes , and sotols are surprisingly resistant of human forgetfulness ; hot , broil sites ; and even outright maltreatment — so they thrive where other potted plants fail . I have many of these plants in peck in my garden , and they demand much less tending than the usual container ofannualsandtropicals . drouth - accommodate ( also calledwater - heady , xeric , or low - water ) plants also have strikingly dissimilar form , colour , andtextures , which add dramatic sculptural beauty to my garden . But most important , they conserve water resources and redeem me time spend watering during the hot summer months .
When it get along to choose muckle , I use both glazed ceramic and naturalclay pile . The best choices for my water - wise plant are pots that intimately pair the size of the plant life ’s root mass and have sizeable drain holes . Minimizing the sizing of the container prevent the ground mass little , which avail it dry out more quickly . Most of these plants come from home ground where territory is as scarce as rainfall , so they are quite happy in tight quarter . It will be obvious when it ’s time to upgrade a certain specimen to a big deal : The plant will outsize its container , becoming top - clayey and out of scale with the can yet still appearing robust and healthy .
Succulents and cacti are two types of plants suited to dry containers
I garden in two locations , Colorado and Texas , and practice different soil mixes for my drought - adapted flora in each place . In my Denver garden , which has dry summertime weather condition , I use a soilless mix that carry very little peat moss , and I add perlite or pumice gravel to it . My wintertime garden in central Texas is surface-active agent and more humid , so I add common grit or pea crushed rock to the intermixture because extra drainage is a must . I will often create my own admixture of 50 percent pea crushed rock and 50 per centum compost and pine barque for my Texas bay window , although it ready the container rather heavy . I do n’t tote up wet - retain polymer quartz to either of these potting mixes because these flora like it dry . Also , their roots are levelheaded when the soil is leave to dry out out , which it tends not to do when these wet retainers are mixed in .
Even though these plant like it dry out , they need to be watered andfertilizedperiodically . It is vital , however , to give them a teetotal spell between waterings . That wry time can last days or even weeks , with no harm done to the plants . When you do irrigate them , it ’s important to be exhaustive , repeating the process a couple of times to guarantee that the integral filth plenty gets pixilated . For my spate , I apply a smooth fertilizer at half strength about once a month during the growing time of year at the same time that I water . You could also mix tiresome - going fertilizer into thesoilwhen you plant the pot or sparge some around the base of plant in an establish container .
This golden barrel cactus ( Echinocactus grusonii , Zones 9–11 ) thrives in dry weather . A Russian salvia ( Perovskia‘Hybrida ’ , Zones 6–9 ) bloom in the backcloth .
Lining the path in this teetotal - sleep together garden are containers holding ( front to back ) halcyon rattail ( Cleistocactus winteri , Zones 10–11 ) , green desert spoon ( Dasylirion acrotriche , Zone 11 ) , and Caribbean agave ( Agave angustifolia , Zones 9–11 ) .
Hot , teetotal mood are found around the world , and the diversity of shape and drouth - endurance strategies of the plants that thrive in these spicy areas bowl over my mind . Most of these plant store body of water in their leaves , stems , or ascendant , and although there are many plant wait to be discovered for garden use , there are lots already useable for us to try . A few of these plant are wintertime hardy , but most are not , so I handle them either as annual , allow them die at the death of the season , or as tender perennial . As I do with my tender perennials , I fetch some of them into the house for the winter , placing them in a cheery spot and watering them infrequently . They never await their best , but they normally make it through to the following outpouring .
One of the most popular and comfortable - to - find groups of drouth - accommodate plants is succulents , which store water in their leaves . This across-the-board group include the cold - hardy hen and wench ( Sempervivumspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–11 ) and sedums ( Sedumspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) as well as the more tender graptopetalums ( Graptopetalumspp . , Zones 9–11 ) andecheverias(Echeveriaspp . and cvs . , Zones 10–11 ) .
Another easy - to - find group is the large , various cactus crime syndicate , which shun lead for succulent stems that hold moisture through ironic times . They come up in various briary forms , include barrels , pads , mounds , and thump . All cacti grow well in containers — just be deliberate of their spines and of the flyspeck but more obnoxious glochids , the little clusters of firm hair that can get stuck in your peel .
South Africa is home to a host of dry - have a go at it plants , all of which make neat container specimen . The ice plant family ( Aizoaceae ) admit plants like living endocarp ( Lithopsspp . , Zones 10–11 ) and stout Methedrine works ( Delospermaspp . and cvs . , Zones 6–11 ) . There are also delightful aloes ( Aloespp . and cvs . , Zones 10–11 ) and their full cousin , the gasterias ( Gasteriaspp . , Zones 9–11 ) and haworthias ( Haworthiaspp . , Zones 9–11 ) , as well as the long - blooming bulbines ( Bulbinespp . and cvs . , Zone 11 ) . Another South Africa plant kinsperson ( Crassulaceae ) include genus Crassula ( Crassulaspp . and cvs . , Zone 11 ) , kalanchoes ( Kalanchoespp . and cvs . , Zone 11 ) , and seed leaf ( Cotyledonspp . , Zone 11 ) , which come in many shapes , sizes , and colors . There are alsoeuphorbias(Euphorbiaspp . and cvs . , zone 4–11 ) that need little water and are perfect for mess finish .
Moss rear ( Portulaca grandifloracvs . ) is a water - wise annual that can take the high temperature and is readily useable in nurseries .
Mescal ( Agave parryi , Zones 9–11 ) is a stately succulent that makes a strong optic impact . Photo : Jennifer Benner
From the desert Southwest of North America are plants like agave ( Agavespp . and cvs . , Zones 9–11 ) , yuccas ( Yuccaspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–11 ) and sotols ( Dasylirionspp . , zone 8–11 ) , bear grasses ( Nolinaspp . , Zones 8–11 ) , and ponytail palms ( Beaucarneaspp . , Zones 11 ) , all of which play hard , leathery leaves that are sometimes far from succulent yet are adjust to defy dry conditions . These woody lily , as they are sometimes called , hold moisture through juiceless times , and some are also quite cold hardy .
The Americas are also home to a wealth of bromeliads , including puyas ( Puyaspp . , Zones 9–11 ) , hechtias ( Hechtiaspp . , Zones 9–11 ) , and dyckias ( Dyckiaspp . and cvs . , Zones 9–11 ) . With their drouth margin and their strange and spiny starfish - comparable appearing , they make delightful container specimens that are worth looking for .
Finally , a works that can be find in almost every nursery is the floriferous annual moss rose ( Portulaca grandifloracvs . ) , which is kind of heat and drought . uncommitted in a range of mountains of hues , it makes a colorful addition to containers with other specimens , recreate a supporting role under the larger horticultural stars . Also , in the same family , the genusTalinum(Zones 6–9 ) contains several colourful coinage well adapted to pot sprightliness , admit precious stone of Opar ( Talinum paniculatumand cvs . , one-year ) , which comes in variegate - folio andchartreuseforms .
All of these plants perform well during ironical period . This makes them the thoroughgoing container plants for busy nurseryman or for people like me who can loosen on vacation knowing their stool do n’t require to be water .
Your weather determines your soil mix
Dry summers
Use a soilless mixing that does n’t contain much peat moss , and add perlite or pumice stone gravel to it .
Moist/humid summers
Use a soilless mix , and add common sand or pea plant gravel to it because redundant drainage is a must . you’re able to also create your own admixture of 50 percent pea gravel and 50 percent compost / true pine bark . Be aware , however , that this mix will add a flock of weight unit to your containers .
Note : Don’t add wet - retain polymer watch crystal to either of these potting mix , because weewee misers like it dry out .
FrequentFine Gardeningcontributor Tom Peace neglects his pots in both Denver and Texas , bet on the season .
Photos , except where noted : Jennifer Brown
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This golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii, Zones 9–11) thrives in dry weather. A Russian sage (Perovskia‘Hybrida’, Zones 6–9) blooms in the background.
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This golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii, Zones 9–11) thrives in dry weather. A Russian sage (Perovskia‘Hybrida’, Zones 6–9) blooms in the background.
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Lining the path in this dry-loving garden are containers holding (front to back) golden rattail (Cleistocactus winteri, Zones 10–11), green desert spoon (Dasylirion acrotriche, Zone 11), and Caribbean agave (Agave angustifolia, Zones 9–11).
The striking silhouette of a variegated American agave (Agave americana‘Marginata’, Zones 9–11) is adorned by a skirt of pink ice plant (Lampranthus deltoides, Zones 9–11).
Twin-flowered agave (Agave geminiflora, Zones 9–11) explodes from a terra-cotta pot.
Moss rose (Portulaca grandifloracvs.) is a water-wise annual that can take the heat and is readily available in nurseries.
Mescal (Agave parryi, Zones 9–11) is a stately succulent that makes a strong visual impact.Photo: Jennifer Benner
This harmonious grouping includes (clockwise from top right) aloe (Aloe cryptopoda, Zones 9–11), Murphey’s variegated agave (Agave murpheyi‘Variegata’, Zones 10–11), Queen Victoria agave (Agave victoriae-reginae, Zones 9–11), and Whipple’s yucca (Yucca whipplei, Zones 8–11).Photo: Michelle Gervais
A colorful glazed pot sets the stage for a strappy fan aloe (Aloe plicatilis, Zones 9–11) surrounded by rosettes of echeveria (Echeveriasp., Zone 11).
