Easy Summer Plants: Helpful Tips
WEST JACKSON — Summer is finally here and the need to get outside and beautify your yard is a fun chore or hobby for many in West Tennessee. For many, toiling the garden may not be possible due to the daily tasks of a seven day workweek or lack of knowledge. Whether it is an issue of time or even lack of knowledge, experts say a beautiful garden can be achieved with little effort and just a few helpful tips. “Of course you want to look at things that are real low maintenance and drought tolerant,” Jason Reeves said, UT Agriculture Research Horticulturist. Most of the plants you will want to put in the garden could be annuals which produce lots of color. These types of plants are suitable on their own because they thrive off of full sun and limited moisture. “Some drought tolerant annuals, you might want to put in the landscape that would be things like Lantanna, Zinnias, and Vinca. You’ll water them a few times to get them established and then they pretty much take care of themselves.”Reeves says. You can also plant shrubs such as butterfly bush which will give you the best of both worlds with color and privacy. A little time and effort in the garden though could give you that extra kick in the garden regardless of a busy schedule. “Part of gardening is defining the time. If you just spend a few minutes each day in the garden even if its just 10 mins in the morning on the way to the mailbox or in the evening when you get in just to do a thing here or there. That little bit of time can go a long way.” Reeves says. Plants: Low Maintenance -Vinca Vine/Vinca -Lantana -Butterfly Bush -Rubrum Grass -Petunias -Black Eyed Susan Others can be found online courtesy of the West Tennessee Research and Education center http://west.tennessee.edu/ornamentals/default.asp. You can also visit there as well to take a look at many of the wonderful plants.
