Tender perennials go well with bedding crops due to their profuse blooming season from summer season to fall, however not like many bedding crops, they are often simply overwintered in a frost-free place and reused in subsequent years. Some may even turn out to be helpful houseplants in winter. They’re strong, bloom reliably and require no particular tips or abilities. Tender crops can be found as plug crops or as pot crops in 9cm or 1L pots.
Aromatic pelargoniums are justifiably common container crops. They embody Candy Mimosa with rose scent, Lemon Fancy with lemon scent and Torrento with ginger. Pelargoniums are comparatively drought resistant and a good selection for heat, sunny places to keep away from over-watering.
Different drought-resistant container crops embody plectranthus, which may retailer water in fleshy stems or leaves. Plectranthus argentatus has silvery leaves, purple stems and lightweight blue flowers, whereas Magic Mona Purple bears bee-friendly brilliant purple flowers and darkish shiny leaves with purple undersides. Their leaves are scented, however some discover them relatively bitter. Scaevola aemula, a spreading Australian plant with small blue fan-shaped flowers, also can get by with little water.
Salvias are notably drought tolerant, thriving in sizzling, dry, brilliant locations with ample pollinator-friendly flowers till the autumn frost. For top, take into account Salvia confertiflora, a tall shrubby plant with purple flowers and stems and hanging giant crinkled leaves. Smaller, simpler to overwinter salvias with blue flowers are Salvia patens, a compact plant with shapely leaves and Salvia greggii Mirage Blue.
Shrubby selections embody Tibouchina urvilleana or Glory Bush with a profusion of red-purple 5-7 cm flowers and Cestrum purpureum with clusters of purple, purple and pink funnel-shaped flowers adopted by red-purple berries.
Massive dahlias want pushy staking, a big pot and are ungainly in comparison with smaller, extra compact dahlias grown for container use, such because the Dahlegria collection and the maybe much less lucky Glad Smile and Glad Day collection. These have charming single flowers, that are wonderful for pollinators, proper as much as the primary frost. Though dahlia plug crops are supplied, potted crops are extra extensively obtainable, however tubers – additionally obtainable in giant provide till later within the spring – are the economical choice.
Different daisy household crops that make nice patio crops embody fine-leaved Argyranthemums, together with Grandaisy Pink Halo with red-centered pink flowers and Aramis burgundy. Osteospermums embody the richly berry coloured 3D Blueberry Shake and 3D Blueberry White. Osteospermum flowers shut in shade, however match within the sunniest spots.
Most flowering crops sulk in shade and refuse to flower, however begonias, fuchsias and busy Lizzys add colour in mild shade. Illness resistant impatiens at the moment are obtainable, together with the double Glimmer collection that are uncommon container crops. Nonetheless, ferns, hostas and different greenery stay essentially the most dependable shady container vegetation.
By the tip of summer season, tender perennials are rising significantly and – if painstakingly deadheaded – are stuffed with flowers. In late summer season, place a small pot of cuttings – ideally with disease- and pest-free non-flowering shoots, rooting below a plastic bag to stop them from drying out – in a lightweight, however not burning, place. These small pots are overwintered on a windowsill or different well-lit, frost-free spot for dividing and repotting, or used as a supply of cuttings in spring. You may as well prune the crops to a manageable dimension and convey them inside for the winter earlier than the primary frost. If the late summer season cuttings fail, this can be a helpful fallback.
Tuber, tuberous or bulbous crops reminiscent of canna, begonia and dahlias are overwintered as dormant rootstocks in a frost-free place – they don’t want mild.
