Flowers for part sun areas?

[ArkRescue]

I have been looking through the area plants available for sale and I am finding FEW flowering plants that can perform well in less than 8 hours of sunlight. I did find one that is light blue that says "morning light only" and I put that on the side of the house that only gets morning light. Forgot the name of it.

I just love those Gerbera (sp?) daisies but I don't seem to get enough sun for those to flower well. I do have some hosta and ferns which thrive on the shady side of the house. I get frustrated with the limited choices of Perennials available for part sun areas.

Gonna stop by Plant City and that other one on Rt 5 (Ed's?) soon to see what they have. Anyone have luck with shade loving flowering plants? I guess I ought to look through the offerings from our fundraiser and see if I find any there.

 

[acommondisaster]

Sounds like the light blue one might be morning glories.

I have a very shady north side and the one thing I have a lot of luck with is not a flower, but foliage - caladiums. They flourish and are beautiful in my shady garden. caladiums - Bing Images

There are some tuberous begonias that do well in shady areas, and I've had a little luck with astilbe, (a feathery flower) that comes in many colors, but they take more moisture than the caladiums.
All of those I mentioned have to be lifted in the winter and stored. I use my shred paper in a garbage bag to store in a cool (not freezing) closet. If you don't lift the caladiums before the first frost, they wont survive.

There are a lot of woodland type flowers that grow under the woods canopies, you can find them in a bing search (ie jack in a pulpet, heuchera, etc).

 

[vraiblonde]

Petunias and pansies will grow in partial sun, regardless of what the tag says, although they won't take over your whole neighborhood like they do in full sun.

There's a small petunia looking annual, it's called something but it will also be labeled as Million Bells and it does well in partial sun.

Clematis comes in 6 brazillion different colors, and peonies are always showy and easy to deal with. Also dianthus is low to the ground and makes a nice filler (I think it's an annual but mine has come back two years so far).

 

[frequentflier]

Sounds like the light blue one might be morning glories.

I have a very shady north side and the one thing I have a lot of luck with is not a flower, but foliage - caladiums. They flourish and are beautiful in my shady garden. caladiums - Bing Images

There are some tuberous begonias that do well in shady areas, and I've had a little luck with astilbe, (a feathery flower) that comes in many colors, but they take more moisture than the caladiums.
All of those I mentioned have to be lifted in the winter and stored. I use my shred paper in a garbage bag to store in a cool (not freezing) closet. If you don't lift the caladiums before the first frost, they wont survive.

There are a lot of woodland type flowers that grow under the woods canopies, you can find them in a bing search (ie jack in a pulpet, heuchera, etc).

I LOVE Caladiums! I grow them in pots every year- unfortunately I am lax at
pulling them and storing them for the winter like you do.

 

[ArkRescue]

Petunias and pansies will grow in partial sun, regardless of what the tag says, although they won't take over your whole neighborhood like they do in full sun.

There's a small petunia looking annual, it's called something but it will also be labeled as Million Bells and it does well in partial sun.

Clematis comes in 6 brazillion different colors, and peonies are always showy and easy to deal with. Also dianthus is low to the ground and makes a nice filler (I think it's an annual but mine has come back two years so far).

Interestingly the potted Dianthus I have came back this year . Dianthus is one of my favorites!

My lemon tree died. I guess I need to look in my email to see if it had a 1 year guarantee.

Had several other deaths I need to report to companies. Ordinarily I'm a good gardener as far following directions, and I am a regular waterer (for those the need it) despite how hot it may be.

I think some if my problem lies in keeping some plants in containers vs. Planting in the ground and mulching.

 

[GWguy]

I think some if my problem lies in keeping some plants in containers vs. Planting in the ground and mulching.

If the pots are those black plastic things, yes, could be. They get really hot above ground, even if you keep them watered. The roots don't like that.

 

[Larry Gude]

I just love those Gerbera (sp?) daisies but I don't seem to get enough sun for those to flower well.

AM sun or PM?

Gerbs should be awesome with AM. Thing with them after the first flush of blooms is to get them a shot or two of food and get some new growth, back off feed and let 'em go.

Each gerber leaf has the potential for ONE bloom so, the key is to get new foliage, vegetative growth, going once you're out of flowers and see no new buds coming, use more of an ammonium nitrogen, then, when you got some new leaves, see some buds, back off to a nitrate N or a balance 50/50 of the two but lower rates which promotes the reproductive growth (flower).

 

[somdfunguy]

Knockout Roses

 

[vraiblonde]

AM sun or PM?

Gerbs should be awesome with AM. Thing with them after the first flush of blooms is to get them a shot or two of food and get some new growth, back off feed and let 'em go.

Each gerber leaf has the potential for ONE bloom so, the key is to get new foliage, vegetative growth, going once you're out of flowers and see no new buds coming, use more of an ammonium nitrogen, then, when you got some new leaves, see some buds, back off to a nitrate N or a balance 50/50 of the two but lower rates which promotes the reproductive growth (flower).

It would be easier if you would just come grow the gerbers for her.

 

[jazz lady]

The front of my house faces almost due north, so the flower beds in the front of the house don't get much if any direct sun so I'm quite the expert on what grows well there.

There are tons of flowers that do well in part sun and it's oftentimes surprising what does do well. Bleeding heart grows gangbusters in my beds as do Oriental and Asiatic lilies. I love coreopsis, Shasta daisies, lobelia, phlox, chrysanthemum, columbine, snapdragons, salvia, alyssum, vinca, marigold, monarda, begonias, heuchera, echinacea, lavender, and my favorites impatiens, dianthus, and cosmos. I also have two clematis vines, one on either end of the front porch, and a beautiful hydrangea bush on the northwest corner.

Not really grown for their flowers but add a lot of color and textural elements and grow very well in part sun are hosta, coleus, and ferns.

Go to any of the big growing sites like Burpee and Park Seed to get ideas of other plants that work well in your situation.

Good luck and happy gardening!

 

[ArkRescue]

If the pots are those black plastic things, yes, could be. They get really hot above ground, even if you keep them watered. The roots don't like that.

Nah, I plant them in decorative pots with Miracle Grow potting soil.

 

[ArkRescue]

AM sun or PM?

Gerbs should be awesome with AM. Thing with them after the first flush of blooms is to get them a shot or two of food and get some new growth, back off feed and let 'em go.

Each gerber leaf has the potential for ONE bloom so, the key is to get new foliage, vegetative growth, going once you're out of flowers and see no new buds coming, use more of an ammonium nitrogen, then, when you got some new leaves, see some buds, back off to a nitrate N or a balance 50/50 of the two but lower rates which promotes the reproductive growth (flower).

WOW thanks - you're like an expert on Gerbs? I will have to print out your reply so I an keep it on hand for the Gerbs that I will buy this week. Is there such a thing as perennial Gerbs or are they all Annuals?

 

[ArkRescue]

I LOVE Caladiums! I grow them in pots every year- unfortunately I am lax at
pulling them and storing them for the winter like you do.

I have some that over-wintered in the ground (did I say that right?), so I suspect they are dead - will get more because shade loving plants are the only ones that will grow on the shady side of the house. So far only the Hosta plants have started growing back on that side.

 

[GWguy]

WOW thanks - you're like an expert on Gerbs?

understatement of the year....

 

[Larry Gude]

Is there such a thing as perennial Gerbs or are they all Annuals?

Not around here. Too cold in the winter. They are native of Africa.

 

[ArkRescue]

Not around here. Too cold in the winter. They are native of Africa.

So how long have you been a plant expert? Do you work in that field?

I saw that some plants I recently acquired said "morning sun" only - ok but how does the plant know it it's morning sun or not? I did put those around back where the morning sun area would be. I don't have much space that could be "full sun" so plants either get morning sun around the back, afternoon sun around the front, part sun on side 1, or no sun on the side 2.

The Iris grow on the part sun side and seem to do well there.

 

[GWguy]

So how long have you been a plant expert? Do you work in that field?

Larry, got a pic of the gerb fields?

 

[Larry Gude]

So how long have you been a plant expert? Do you work in that field?

I saw that some plants I recently acquired said "morning sun" only - ok but how does the plant know it it's morning sun or not? I did put those around back where the morning sun area would be. I don't have much space that could be "full sun" so plants either get morning sun around the back, afternoon sun around the front, part sun on side 1, or no sun on the side 2.

The Iris grow on the part sun side and seem to do well there.

I am not even close to being an expert. I grow plants for a living and know my way around the stuff I grow and enough other stuff to be considered competent.

Thanks, though!

 

[ArkRescue]

I am not even close to being an expert. I grow plants for a living and know my way around the stuff I grow and enough other stuff to be considered competent.

Thanks, though!

At the minimum I need to setup a notebook and have a picture of each type of plant I have, along with a description of the proper care for each. That way I can refer to the notebook to ensure proper care. I do keep the care instrictions that come with every plant also but now and then they get misplaced or blow away in the wind (if in pot I put the plant in).

Last year a helpful relative stopped by and decided my grass near the house needed trimming. He cut down to the ground my Hydrangea, said he thought it was a weed - a WEED?! Go figure that the one he cut down is growing back but the one on the other side isn't yet ... WTH?

Hey maybe you should write a book for the locals about growing in our climate. I bet you'd have lots of good tips to share. You can become one of our local celebrities and do a book signing and appearances.... you could call the book "Green Thumb the Gude Way"? or maybe someone else can come up with a good name? Let's not get crude guys.

 

[ArkRescue]

Looks like Home Depot is having a sale on Annuals - Gerbs included! 4 for $10.

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