Outdoor plants
We recently expanded our patio area. We love the new space but there is one area that seems to be wasted space. It is not large enough for a chair so I thought I would look for an outdoor plant that could fill the space. I had other outdoor plants in the yard, but I didn't want a short blooming plant in this area because you wouldn't be able to see it due to the deck railing. So, I went off to the local nursery to see what I could find.
The nursery was filled with outdoor plants of all kinds. I had been there several times to purchase my bedding plants as well as vegetable plants. The owner of the nursery asked if she could help me. I told her that I needed a plant to put in a corner of the deck. She showed me a beautiful hibiscus trees. These plants are specially bred to be outdoor plants, but they can be brought indoors for the winter months. I love the plants, but they needed partial shade and the area of the deck I needed them for was in full sun light. We looked at several other outdoor plants that can withstand the hot sun, but none of them were tall enough for the space that I wanted to fill. I was getting ready to leave when I spotted a large patio tomato plant that had a sturdy stake in the middle. The plant and stake were about 5 feel tall. The nursery owner said that she would sell it to me, but she was concerned that some of the tomatoes would come off during transportation. I had brought our pick up truck to the nursery because I knew I wanted a tall plant. We taped a cardboard shield around the plant to protect it for the three miles to my home.
I was able to get the tomato home and on the deck with only losing two small tomatoes. This is the biggest tomato plant that I have ever seen. It is thriving in the sunny spot on the deck. The tomatoes have been ripening fast enough that we can go and pick one for dinner each evening. It is not the kind of outdoor plants that I was thinking of for the space but it's working out fine. It not only fills the space but it is providing us with fresh tomatoes.
Next year I will look for outdoor plants for this space earlier in the season.
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If you think people are born with a green thumb, think again ...
The nursery was filled with outdoor plants of all kinds. I had been there several times to purchase my bedding plants as well as vegetable plants. The owner of the nursery asked if she could help me. I told her that I needed a plant to put in a corner of the deck. She showed me a beautiful hibiscus trees. These plants are specially bred to be outdoor plants, but they can be brought indoors for the winter months. I love the plants, but they needed partial shade and the area of the deck I needed them for was in full sun light. We looked at several other outdoor plants that can withstand the hot sun, but none of them were tall enough for the space that I wanted to fill. I was getting ready to leave when I spotted a large patio tomato plant that had a sturdy stake in the middle. The plant and stake were about 5 feel tall. The nursery owner said that she would sell it to me, but she was concerned that some of the tomatoes would come off during transportation. I had brought our pick up truck to the nursery because I knew I wanted a tall plant. We taped a cardboard shield around the plant to protect it for the three miles to my home.
I was able to get the tomato home and on the deck with only losing two small tomatoes. This is the biggest tomato plant that I have ever seen. It is thriving in the sunny spot on the deck. The tomatoes have been ripening fast enough that we can go and pick one for dinner each evening. It is not the kind of outdoor plants that I was thinking of for the space but it's working out fine. It not only fills the space but it is providing us with fresh tomatoes.
Next year I will look for outdoor plants for this space earlier in the season.
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If you think people are born with a green thumb, think again ...
The American Gardener
Say NO to dying plants, say YES to success
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posted by Charlie @ 7:53 PM
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