HI
I am relatively new to Alabama, and very new to Container gardening. I just moved from a house with 1 acre, to an apartment with a proch! LOL! Does anyone have any ideas, suggestions, what type of plants to buy? I also have seeds I am willing to trade, but not familiar with how thw trading works on here. Any helpful tips is much appreciated! Thanks,
Cindy
Alabama Container Gardening
Lil Beans, I think you may have unintentionally posted this on the wrong forum. This is Texas gardening, but most of the stuff that grows here would work in Alabama too. Depending on how big your porch area is, consider going up if floor space is small plus it adds vertical interest. You can have a small trellis with a vine and a couple of hanging baskets as well as having something potted on the floor. I don't know if you're looking for ornamentals or edibles, but the list for both is quite long. It would help to know what sun exposure you have, moring, evening, shaded, etc.
Thank you. No this was not unintentional. I do not know where to go to start a new thread, a newbie here. I am sorry if it disturbs you that I posted on the Texas Gardening site, didnt think it would hurt anything, as most people I have found to be very nice and helpful. I do know what sun exposure I have at all the different times of the day. I was looking for names of plants, etc. I hope you have a grat day!
What is the sun exposure; north, south, east, west ??? Some plants won't take the hot afternoon sun of a western exposure. The reason I asked was in order to suggest an appropriate plant for the location. Some of my favorites for baskets are trailing plants. Two of my favorites are Blue Daze and FanFlower. For pots on the porch you can get long lasting blooms is red, pink and white from begonias and there are some that will take shade and others for full sun. I have just planted a Mexican Flame vine. It has orange flowers and they smell wonderful. Morning glories and moon flowers mixed on the same trellis will give you morning and evening blooms. For pots of mixed plants, think texture contrast as well as color. Something tall and spiky in the back with something trailing in the front looks nice. Giant Liriope is evergreen, dark green and spiky. This in the back of a pot with a Fan Flower in front would look good. If it's hot sun most of the day, succulents like Hen and Chicks is easy and trouble free. There are several sweet potato vines out that are trailing, Blackie is very dark purple, Marguritte is lime green and there's a variegated one that has pink new growth with a sage green edged in cream leaf. It needs partial shade. Hope this gives you some ideas. Happy Gardening!
Thanks!
Welcome, lil beans! You love it here in the Garden!
I have to admit, I thought you meant to be on another thread also but any place you ask questions will get you answers fr 'DGers'.
Which way does your house face? Sun is the determining factor!
Have you ck'd out the Container Forum? There is a girl on there fr Japan that has the most awesome ideas that she puts together. Her finished products need to be in a museum!! Things would never grow for me like that.
Are you wanting very colorful? multi-color? Or different colors in each container? Before I bought my house & got it on 2 acres, I had over 200 plants of all types in containers. I didn't want to plant them where I lived b/c it wasn't mine & I wanted to take them ALL w/me when I moved.
Well, give us a little more info & maybe a pix & we will offer more possibilities.
:~)
Hi
I get no morning sun on my porch. The sun hits my proch around 1 or 2 in the afternoo from the west.So far I have a potted tomator plant, an upside hanging tomatoe plant, a geranium, a yelloe flower plant,( never looked at the name of the plant just thought it was pretty so I bought it.) I appreciate all the advice gives as to now. Always glad to hear from you all with ideas and suggestions. This container gardening really takes sometime to get used to when your used to planting in the ground. I really need help with herbs, for whatever reason, I can never grow them. Thanks again all.
Cindy
Hi Lil_beans ~ as you get the evening sun, I am going to suggest a fast growing vine to cover and provided shade for your other container plants on the porch. I would string some netting for the vines to travel on to cover.
I still do lots of containers ( poor soil ~ lazy me ). One vine that would work well would be a purple hyacinth vine. It has pretty purple blooms and will deliver many seeds after just one season. It would help your cooling costs and make the porch delightful in the evening too. Let us know what you decide to do. I may be able to help with some seeds/ideas. pod
Cindy, I lived in Montgomery for 28 years. I moved here to Texas almost 2 years ago. Boy was I shocked when I saw where you are from. Pretty neat!
I used to go to Wal-Mart real early when they put the clearance plants out. Real cheap and usually only need a bit of water and TLC. The climate is so different here and I'm having to learn how to "texas garden" :) Elizabeth
I have plenty of Hyacinth seeds to share! LMK
Smockette
I am knew to this daves garden, and I love it. I see you have seed to share, but I dont know how this trading thing works on here and I have is a package of Butterfly Palm seeds to offer. My sister bought these for me and not long after we moved to an apartment here in Alabama, so I can't use them. I have other seeds, but who knows where they are. Thank you. Cindy
Cindy ~ generally, people will share plants or seeds for the price of postage if you have no seeds to swap or no seeds to tempt someone with...
I too have seeds for the purple hyacinth vine which has a large leaf providing more shade. http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/890/index.html
I also have some of these I could share... http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/93/index.html though they won't give as much shade. Both vines will probably require a good deal of water in a container.
I also have some seeds (not a vine) that will bloom thru the heat, do well in a container, grow quickly and if you provide enough water will take full sun. http://davesgarden.com/journal/j/viewentry/111276/ I probably have other seeds that will work and am willing to share. Please let me know... pod