Mirrasi
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How do you create a shade for plants if you have no shade?

I'm new to container gardening. I bought some seeds (Cucumber, green onion, lettuces, cherry tomatos, and bell, cayenne, and jalepeno peppers). I have them planted in various pots. I also went to the closest nursery (1 hour away) to learn more about container gardening.

A very nice worker helped me put an herb pot together. The pot is probably 20 inches across. She put the starter plants in for me and I watched how she did it. We chose chives, cilantro, kale, basil, and 2 small flower plants. A marigold and I forgot what the other was. I remember thinking that I thought this seemed like an awful lot for one pot! But then, she had gorgeous pots all over the place that had been planted the same way so I guess it's okay.

Anyway, I took them home and they are almost all dead now. My thought was that I had overwatered them. I watered daily for about 5 days because the soil always felt dry on top. But then as I researched I realised I was supposed to put my finger down in the soil. So I bought a soil tester and sure enough, the soil was wet...not moist.

So I stopped watering but the plants keep wilting. I emailed the lady and she thinks it's less likely from watering and more likely from too much sun. She said to give morning sun but never afternoon. I live in FL and it's HOT here.

What I don't get is why the other plants are doing okay. Although, I do notice that they seem to wilt a bit every afternoon in the sun and then perk back up. But the herb pot is toast.

Anyway, I don't have any place to shade them from the afternoon. Does anyone think this is the problem? If so, any suggestions on ways to build a shade for them?

Ill go grab some pics too so you can see.

Mirrasi
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Location: davenport, fl

Okay, I took a bunch of pics so you can see what I'm working with.

Here is my sad herb pot. :(
[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e60/BCreevy/herbs.jpg[/img]


My blueberry is looking better (see other post). It still has the brown spots but they aren't getting worse. It's been planted about 2 weeks now and seems to be growing. Although it looks lopsided. It's a sunshine blue which is supposed to be self pollinating and good for pots in hot weather.
[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e60/BCreevy/blueberry.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e60/BCreevy/blueberry1.jpg[/img]

The spacemaster Cucumber I planted from seed and it seems to be doing great so far. If anything, it's shaded in the morning and only gets afternoon sun so you would think this would have been the first to die. There's a few green onions in there.
[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e60/BCreevy/cucumber.jpg[/img]

The cherry tomato was the last one to get seeded so it's still teeny. I'll probably have to thin but it seems to be growing fine. I put a bit of oregeno in there too.
[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e60/BCreevy/tomato.jpg[/img]

The chocolate mint I bought from the nursery too. It started to go limp as well but seems to be getting better. It still feels lightly limp but it's improving.
[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e60/BCreevy/mint.jpg[/img]

I stuck lettuces, a few finger carrots, and more green onions in this. I'm not sure if that's too much. But this seems to be growing fine in full sun all day.
[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e60/BCreevy/lettuce.jpg[/img]


And just some pics of how I have it all sitting on my porch.
[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e60/BCreevy/plants0.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e60/BCreevy/plants.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e60/BCreevy/plants2.jpg[/img]


Right now it's early so you can see the shaded ones are only getting afternoon sun. So should I find a way to shade all these plants? What on earth happened to the herb pot?

PaulF
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Artificial shade may be an answer. An awning made of cheesecloth or a fine netting will filter the sunlight. It could be hung down on the outside of your windows or a tent made to cover the outdoor plants. I am not sure how to do this since I can't really see your container area, but that is an idea. That would not only keep direct sunlight off the plants but also cool the area a little bit.

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applestar
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We chose chives, cilantro, kale, basil, and 2 small flower plants. A marigold and I forgot what the other was.
Frankly, this is an odd combination for a new planting especially now when it's getting hot in your area. Chives, kale, and cilantro are cool season plants and would finish growing, bolt to flower, or die very soon. (Maybe that's why the extra plants?).

Also, most nurseries don't keep their small plants in direct sun -- usually some kind of translucent overhead covering. So they may not have been ready for full sun right away. In any event, newly transplanted pots should always spend a day in the shade then gradually be set out to more sunny spot.

Except maybe cilantro, the ID'd plants are drought tolerant so the excessive watering would definitely have stressed them. They probably suffered some root loss and need to be given partial shade to reduce moisture loss from the leaves until new roots grow (You could probably pinch the top pair of leaves from the basils.)

What I often do is put my pots under a tree or under the patio furniture -- chair or table depending on their size. The teak slatted wood furniture serves perfectly (but be aware of the angle of the sun although this may not be as much of an issue in Fl.) For inividuals out in the garden beds, I use folding lawn chair or beach umbrella.

greenstubbs
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From what I can see, you don't have a tree in the backyard. Most of my herbs get about half-a-day sun and seem to do fine in my area which is almost a desert climate, very hot and dry. That be chive, oregano, thyme that get shaded. My rosemary and sage get most of the day sun. These are in the ground, my mint I have in a pot that gets about a hour of direct sun a day while some volunteer mint started under my 2 cherry trees so that's kinda my backup patch as the mint in the pot can wind up getting cooked if I don't stay on top of H2O even in the shade. Your mint will let you know when it's thirsty as it will start to droop, give it a big swig and it will perk right back up and be happy happy.

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PunkRotten
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Use the walls of your house or other structures to provide shade. You jsut have to note what time of the day they get it. I also will get a long board or cardboard and stand that up and use that as a way to get shade to some small/tender plants till they harden off.

Mirrasi
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Thank you everyone! I clearly have overdone both the sun and water. I'll have to figure something else out. Just for future reference, are there any plants that do well with full sun all day?


You could probably pinch the top pair of leaves from the basils.)
What does that mean/do? (Sorry, I'm VERY new)


Regarding the herbs. Could they be grown year around inside next to a window?

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PunkRotten
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Melons, peppers, and tomatoes are some crops that like full sun. About the Basil, pinching a pair of leaves off promotes bushing of the Basil. Clip the pair of leaves off right at the node. If you are not really visualizing how to do it just do a search on google about pruning Basil and you will learn all about it.

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PunkRotten
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After reading over the post regarding the Basil that has nothing to do with what I posted. But what I posted is a technique you use with healthy Basil. Regarding what was posted about your sick Basil I can't comment.

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applestar
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Assuming there was some root damage, the remaining roots can't provide for all the top growth and too much moisture is lost from the leaves via transpiration and the plant wilts. So if you reduce the surface area of the leaves, the remaining leaves can get the available water.

With basil, you might as well harvest the top tier of leaves.

With flowering plants, ideally you cut off the blooms when they are stressed beyond simple recovery because flowers are a heavy energy load on the plant but biological imperative dictates that the plants pour every last bit of strength into flowering and completing their life cycle before dying.

Mirrasi
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I just read as well that Cilantro does not transplant well at all and basil is finicky with transplanting. I'm starting to think that had more to do with it.

Can you grow these herbs year around if you bring them inside? I noticed the PP mentioned they were cold weather plants. So if I yanked these up, planted some seeds and moved it indoors, would that work or would it be too late?

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applestar
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Take a look at the [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=29]HERB GARDEN forum[/url]. You'll find discussions on individual herbs that might be more helpful to your situation. :wink:



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