By Mark Packard
If you have the right plants for the right spot, you shouldn’t have to water your plants at all! In the heat of the summer, you might notice that some plants are not happy where they are planted. Choosing the right plant for the right spot is important. If you are finding some of your plants are suffering in the heat, they might just be getting too much sun. For instance, Hydrangeas, azaleas, hosta, and lilacs like to get morning sun and afternoon shade. Other plants like Spirea and Viburnum love the sun and are drought tolerant, making them a great choice for sunny spots and on slopes. Sloped areas dry out faster because the water runs off the slope faster and doesn’t sink into the soil as well. When buying a plant check the back of the tag. It should say sun, part shade, or shade. Sun means six or more hours of sun. Part sun means four to six hours of sun, and shade means less than four hours of sun.
If you are finding that some of your plants are not happy where they are, wait until fall. Transplanting them now will certainly kill them. Plants enter a dormant state in the summer so they can conserve water. If you dig them up, they will need lots of water during a time of year that we usually don’t get much rain. Wait to transplant until late August or early September.
For more advice on how to choose the right spot
for your plants, email Mark:
Mark@sterlinggreenery.com

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