Suggestions

[finch]

Hi!

I live in metro Phoenix. I have a patio with a tall wall, facing west. I don't have anywhere to put plants inside. Even watering twice a day, I've had things up and wither on me outside. Short of the obvious (cactus), what would you recommend for container gardening? I can put things on shelves high enough that they can get sunlight, or leave them in full shade, but that's it.

Comments

[elmyraemilie]

Wow, that's a tough one. Can you plant in the ground, or must you plant only in containers? I'd say that one thing you should definitely do either way is use a good dark organic mulch at the base of your plants. It should help keep the water from evaporating quite so quickly. Don't use rock--it absorbs and reflects the heat back onto the leaves of your plants.

If you can plant in the ground, that's the best--your plants will have the chance to send down deep roots to drink from moist soil away from the surface. Check with your local nursery for plants they recommend. From what I read, anything with a thicker leaf, or with leaves that are fuzzy, will do better in a very hot climate.

[finch]

Sadly, the concrete patio is all I get, so it's containers or nothing. I'll definitely make sure I get a good mulch when I plant, though.

[thistleburr]

I suggest moss rose. It's a succulent that loves heat, does well in containers, doesn't like a lot of water, and makes pretty multi-colored flowers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portulaca_grandiflora