User avatar
emmdavies
Full Member
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Mar 20, 2013 4:54 pm
Location: Eastern NC (zone 8)

South Facing Patio May Be Bad

I have a container garden full of potted herbs, flowers, and tomatoes. All are full sun, but my brick and concrete patio faces south and while this is supposed to be good, it seems to cause my plants to droop and faint. There is no shade on my patio and no trees near for shade (I live in a student apartment). I also live in the southeast so it gets very hot and very humid with not much rain in the summer, and the conditions are already starting. I water thoroughly every morning and I work usually til 2 or 5 pm. I try to water again if they look bad but its becoming a struggle and I read that tomatoes will get BER if they have a change in water routine. Does anyone have any tips to keep my garden alive?

Susan W
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1858
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:46 pm
Location: Memphis, TN

emm, I feel your pain! I don't have as severe as you, but looking at some hot spots on the deck. Is there any way you can have some sun shield? Watering is an immediate relief, but doesn't deal with the issue. A side note is the bigger the pots the better. I suggest 12" min, and about equally deep. Any less will cook. Can you hang a neat college theme/color sail? Breathable light cotton comes to mind. Or go retro tie dye, see that's back in fashion.

I'll think of more. As it happens, need to work my deck yesterday, perhaps starting this wkd, and as it is now warm can wear my tie-dye t-shirt. But I digress.

Think positive, and it will get just more hot. HaHa!!!!

User avatar
emmdavies
Full Member
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Mar 20, 2013 4:54 pm
Location: Eastern NC (zone 8)

Thanks for the suggestions! I have a table in the center of my patio with an umbrella so I put it up when I got home from work today. It doesn't cover the whole patio but the shadow moves throughout the day so hopefully it will help provide relief. I rearranged where the pots are to areas where there will be shade for a little while. However, I think getting bigger pots is going to help. Some of my plants are still young and have not bloomed but I don't know if they are too weak to transplant. I will have to try this!



Return to “Container Gardening Forum”