Containers thriving in the heat.
1 — Use plastic or glazed pottery pots. Group them together.
2 — Fill some jugs or pitchers when you water, so that you can spot water those plants that need an afternoon pick-me-up.
3 — Learn which plants are most likely to droop in the hot sun (for me, it’s morning glories and moon flowers, snapdragons, gerbera, pineapple sage, Italian parsley and tomatoes). When the zinnias and vinca droop, it’s time for a serious watering.
4 — This is my favorite: container garden in the shade. I pot up impatiens, ornamental sweet potatoes, caladiums, Boston ferns and begonias. I also set out my house plants. These are arranged on my front steps. When I pull into my driveway, it feels 10 degrees cooler. When the leaves on my spathphyllum start to droop, then I water.
Text and photos contributed by reader Margaret from Raleigh, North Carolina
plastic pots should not be exposed directly to sunlight. They get too warm. It is not a problem if foliage extends over the edges enough to shade the pots below.
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