Does it make sense to shield the sides of a container planting from the sun?
My experience is that sun shining on a container planting causes it to need frequent watering. I am planning later this spring to plant some strawberries in (larger) containers. I am thinking of using a board to block the sun from shining directly on the sides of the container. The plants and their soil surface will still get plenty of sun.
If it matters I'm in Eastern Massachusetts.
Long story on why I'm planting strawberries in a container, which I can save for later
I suppose that would help a bit, but it's a fact that containers need watering a lot more frequently than in ground planting. I have at least 50 pots and hanging baskets of varying sizes and I'm watering daily right now between the wind and warmer temperatures in my part of the deep south. Clay pots are the worst as far as wicking water away from the soil in potted plants, and I only have a few of those left. Most of my pots are either ceramic or heavy molded plastic pots.
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applestar
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Hmmm.... I remember recommending shielding/insulating the containers planted with strawberries in a thread ... ah, here it is! You may find additional relevant/interesting details in the posts surrounding this one in the discussion:
Subject: 48 Strawberries in 8 SIPs
Subject: 48 Strawberries in 8 SIPs
applestar wrote:I noticed some of my (not Albion) varieties doing this when the berry truss is protected from birds and chipmunks with clear clamshells during heatwave. I think they don't like it too hot./humid. You may be having a flip-side effect of the raised black containers with black plastic mulch.
Maybe put some straw on top of the plastic mulch or put up a shade cloth over the setup? Shading just the containers?
Try putting up some beach/patio umbrellas over one or two planters and see if that helps before launching into an entire project.
I plant strawberries in containers to keep them away from the birds and the snails. They don't really like the heat of summer and I move the container (hanging baskets to the front of the house so they only get morning sun and afternoon shade. In the cooler months they do better in full sun. I water the pots just about every day so I don't have a drying issue. I do have to move them around to keep them out of reach of the birds and snails. If pots are large enough, the soil has some water retention, and the plants are not rootbound, I don't have problems with drying out.
Some pots get too hot to touch in summer. A board might work if it is thick enough, but since I literally have hundreds of plants in pots I found ways to keep them cooler. I don't like to use wood in the garden because it would invite ants and termites and lumber and everything else that is imported here is expensive.
1. Group pots together. It increases humidity and the plants will help shade each other.
2. Double potting. Putting pot in a larger (empty) pot helps to insulate the inner pot from the sun. I cut up the bag from the potting soil and put the white side out and use it to mulch the top of the pot. It reflects light, keeps moisture in, and weeds down.
3. Really big containers can be insulated with sheets of styrofoam. I get that from home depot. They sell foam insulation and you just cut and tape the pieces to the outside of the container and it helps to keep the container from absorbing too much heat. It is not pretty, but it does work. It does not rot and it can be saved and reused.
4. Paint dark containers with a light color to reflect instead of absorb heat.
5 Make sure, especially in summer, that the plants are not potbound. Larger pots don't dry out or get at hot as the smaller ones.
6. For plants that don't really like the summer heat like strawberries, kale, lettuce, and Asian greens. I either provide shade in summer with shade cloth or a vine on my trellis or I move the plants to the other side of the house that only gets morning sun. (Plant dollies or convertible handtrucks work well for moving bigger plants.) One of my trellises looks like a tent frame the top has CRW wire for a roof. The vine grows over the roof and plants that need shade can grow under it. My other trellis is made with tent parts and poles and can be used for shade cloth. The shade cloth is expensive so it needs to be stored when not in use.
Some pots get too hot to touch in summer. A board might work if it is thick enough, but since I literally have hundreds of plants in pots I found ways to keep them cooler. I don't like to use wood in the garden because it would invite ants and termites and lumber and everything else that is imported here is expensive.
1. Group pots together. It increases humidity and the plants will help shade each other.
2. Double potting. Putting pot in a larger (empty) pot helps to insulate the inner pot from the sun. I cut up the bag from the potting soil and put the white side out and use it to mulch the top of the pot. It reflects light, keeps moisture in, and weeds down.
3. Really big containers can be insulated with sheets of styrofoam. I get that from home depot. They sell foam insulation and you just cut and tape the pieces to the outside of the container and it helps to keep the container from absorbing too much heat. It is not pretty, but it does work. It does not rot and it can be saved and reused.
4. Paint dark containers with a light color to reflect instead of absorb heat.
5 Make sure, especially in summer, that the plants are not potbound. Larger pots don't dry out or get at hot as the smaller ones.
6. For plants that don't really like the summer heat like strawberries, kale, lettuce, and Asian greens. I either provide shade in summer with shade cloth or a vine on my trellis or I move the plants to the other side of the house that only gets morning sun. (Plant dollies or convertible handtrucks work well for moving bigger plants.) One of my trellises looks like a tent frame the top has CRW wire for a roof. The vine grows over the roof and plants that need shade can grow under it. My other trellis is made with tent parts and poles and can be used for shade cloth. The shade cloth is expensive so it needs to be stored when not in use.
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Gary350
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Many herbs are hot weather desert plants and do good in hot weather but they do not like the extreme moisture fluctuation from soil drying out in pots in the hot sun day after day. When I lived in Arizona herbs died in pots but herbs grew good on the north side of the house where soil moisture never changed and shade all day. This year in TN I am going to plant herbs in the soil next to the patio behind the house where they get shade all day from 2 large trees.
Michigan relatives sent us this Facebook message. We love summer in Michigan last years it was on Wednesday.
Michigan relatives sent us this Facebook message. We love summer in Michigan last years it was on Wednesday.