Best drought tolerant full-sun trailer for baskets?
alison
18 years ago
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posiegirl
18 years agoRelated Discussions
What's the best seed for full sun and drought?
Comments (7)Some further notes about what I do: I seeded in the Fall. I cut to a height of 3.5 - 4 1/8 inches depending on how long its gotten. I try not to cut off more than 1/3 of the grass height, so that means I wait until it is about 5-6.5 inches tall to cut. I water deeply to encourage deep root growth. I can't really plant more trees in this area. You can actually see the area where the existing trees don't quite cover the grass, because there are fairly well defined transition lines from green to yellow where there is no shade. I just figured the grass should be able to make it 5-6 days without turning to straw. Some of the areas are definitely dead bare earth...not just dormant. The area isn't used much for anything, but I don't want clover. So here's what I'm thinking: 1. I know the soil under the grass is crap. Rocky hard stuff. Would regular application of corn meal (which I still need to find in my area) act to enrich and soften the underlying soil so that the roots can grow deeper? 2. My soil analysis said I was way too acidic. I've not been able to apply lime to these areas as I always seem to be renovating them when its time to lime. Could high acidity affect drought tolerance? 3. Will repeated overseeding and deep watering eventually get the grass established enough to make it through the summer? 4. Would that Scotts seed work? How does KBG work in extreme sun?...See MoreBest roses for full sun in a Mediterranean climate?
Comments (12)Welcome, Erica! I garden in Sacramento, which has a Mediterranean climate, too. It can be intensely hot here, although it cools down in the evenings, thank goodness. Some rose blossoms scorch in the summer heat, particularly red or semi-double flowers, but adequate water really does help. Yellows often bleach out. I wouldn't worry about dappled light in the winter, or the intensity of the summer sun. There are many roses that will do just fine, and keep pumping out the blooms throughout the summer. Teas, chinas, tea-noisettes and hybrid musks are all reliable, virtually evergreen and in frequent, if not constant, bloom. I work with two different gardens - one is a collection of old found roses in the Sacramento cemetery's Historic Rose Garden. The soil there is sandy and well-drained, and there is room for the roses to get huge. At home, soil is silt/clay, and there is much less room. You can look at Helpmefind roses and see what roses are in each garden (Sacramento Historic Rose Garden and Anita's garden), and ask me about how specific varieties are doing. Polyanthas do well too - Perle d'Or and Marie Pavie are particular favorites. Chinas are good. Some of the early Hybrid Teas, such as Mme. Caroline Testout and Kauserin Auguste Viktoria, are in nearly constant bloom. The Austins are a mixed bag. They tend to grow much taller than English sources say, and the flowers may not be as big or intensely colored. For example, I've seen William Shakespeare 2000 in New Zealand, France and Sacramento - it was drop-dead gorgeous everywhere but here, where it is much smaller and washed-out. Enjoy. Looking forward to hearing about your choices, and how your garden develops! Anita...See MoreBest full sun/low water, zone 5 hardy Clematis
Comments (2)Although most clematis are not considered particularly drought tolerant, C. texensis may be a good choice for you. It is native to hot, dry areas of the southwestern US (Texas), it is quite hardy (zone 4), has a long bloom season and does grow readily from seed, although I have no suggestions of where to locate seed or as to how long after germination one could expect flowering. And I'd sure want to make sure it gets sufficient moisture until it is well established....See MoreFull sun- drought tolerant-bad drainage.. ?
Comments (2)Except for the issue with the drainage, the creeping thyme sounds like a great idea. It will certainly be able to handle the summer heat, is quite drought tolerant once established, low enough that wind is not a factor and can tolerate some pretty cold temperatures as well. And it will stand up to foot traffic. Drainage is relatively critical with most plants - there is a short list of those that will tolerate less than ideal drainage, but for the most part, drought tolerant groundcovers require good drainage. What is there about your new garden that leads you to believe drainage is poor and what can you do to correct it? FWIW, any soil improvement you can do now before major planting will benefit you and the garden in the long run. I typically suggest to my clients to take the time and invest sufficient dollars into improving their soils before spending a lot of money on plants which may fail because of poor growing conditions....See Morejenny_in_se_pa
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18 years agoposiegirl
18 years agopewterdigit
18 years ago
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