Hot Deck

I have a large wrap around deck that faces south and west with no shade. I have some large containers on it. The only plants that have survived the heat is verbena and portulaca.Even with the above normal rainfall last year and my watering,everything fried. Can anyone give me some suggestions for either perennials or annuals to make my containers pretty? Will mini roses work? Any suggestions will be appreciated. Janet

Hi Janet, I can't answer your question but maybe post this in the container forum.

I have containers on my south deck. I've put geraniums in them, daisies, those tall spike plants, (can't remember what they are called), vinca, petunias, and I can't remember what all else. I've also had brugs on the south deck that did great up to a point. I had to move them though, because they got very tall and the wind started whipping them to death and tipping them over.

The think I've found about the containers on the south deck though, is that they need to be watered 2 or more times a day in the hottest part of the summer.

Joan, have you ever tried Soil Moist in your containers? I always use it in mine, they don't dry out as much.

This message was edited Dec 30, 2004 10:29 PM

No, I've not tried Soil Moist. I don't even know what it is. I know that I can't buy it around here though, because I've not seen it anywhere. I'll do a google search and see if I can order it online. Thanks!

I have found that out here in the high desert country that the soil moist does help some but not significantly in my applications to container plants enough to make much of a difference with having to water often. About the only thing that works for me is to use a drip irrigation system in the pots and much larger pots than I had used the first few years. The drip system can go under the deck with only a small piece of the hose coming up the side of the pot to the dripper or sprayer that you use. For a large pot I use two or three and have even put four drippers into them and put the whole thing on a timer. Much more stable than waiting for me to get home and water them several times a day. Hope this helps.

Joan, the Soil Moist is a polymer that fills with water to many times its previous size and slowly releases that water into your pot or onto the roots of the few plants that attach their roots to the polymer. If you do a google search just try to find a polymer for plants as there are other brands out there that are less expensive than the Soil Moist product. I buy it in one pound or five pound bags every couple of years.