any help would be greatly appreciated! thanks.
container gardening with minimal direct sunlight
I have a small patio at my home with very little direct sunlight (approx 30-45 minutes daily) and would like to hang a planter to spruce things up. I just want something simple--no need for flowers. I have read about some types of grass and want to know if they would grow well in this type of setting. the two that seem like they may work are deschampsia flexuosa or hakonechloa macra. any feedback? or maybe I could go in a different direction all together??
any help would be greatly appreciated! thanks.
any help would be greatly appreciated! thanks.
There are many plants that will grow with minimal or no direct sunlight. Ferns are very pretty and do well in such an environment.
Of the two grasses you mention, I think the second ... hakonechloa macra ... is by far the more attractive, but I don't think it would do well on your patio. It wants full sun to partial shade, and I think your patio would be more like full shade. The other grass will grow in shade, and I suppose could be used to add a nice upright element to the decor. It wouldn't be my first choice, but you certainly should select the plant that pleases you.
Of the two grasses you mention, I think the second ... hakonechloa macra ... is by far the more attractive, but I don't think it would do well on your patio. It wants full sun to partial shade, and I think your patio would be more like full shade. The other grass will grow in shade, and I suppose could be used to add a nice upright element to the decor. It wouldn't be my first choice, but you certainly should select the plant that pleases you.
You'll want to use a container with drainage holes, and a potting mix that drains rapidly. Drainage is especially important for container-grown plants, because the only way excess water can escape is through the bottom of the pot. If the soil stays wet too long, the plant's roots will rot and the plant will die.
A standard potting mix will work fine for most plants, but I like to use an African violet potting mix for my ferns. That's not really necessary, just my personal preference. Most ferns also like high humidity, so you may want to mist them daily with water from a hand-held spray bottle. An alternative would be to place the container on a humidity tray, which is just a tray full of pebbles filled with water to the top of the pebbles. Humidity can also be increased by grouping several plants together.
That's all I can think of offhand at the moment. If any specific questions occur to you, don't hesitate to ask. I, or one of our other members, will be happy to help if we can.
A standard potting mix will work fine for most plants, but I like to use an African violet potting mix for my ferns. That's not really necessary, just my personal preference. Most ferns also like high humidity, so you may want to mist them daily with water from a hand-held spray bottle. An alternative would be to place the container on a humidity tray, which is just a tray full of pebbles filled with water to the top of the pebbles. Humidity can also be increased by grouping several plants together.
That's all I can think of offhand at the moment. If any specific questions occur to you, don't hesitate to ask. I, or one of our other members, will be happy to help if we can.