[Arid_gardener] Re: Flowering Plants in Hanging baskets

[Dick Gross]

Star, I know that's not your name, there are several difficulties inherent 
with pots that have little to do with the amount of direct sun but a lot to 
do with almost everything else.

The most common problem I've seen is caused by insufficient drainage holes. 
I always drill more. I use a tapered drill, cost about $12 but worth every 
penny. They come in a couple sizes but I think all start with 1/8th 
graduated to about 9/16ths of an inch. Using that drill, you can make any 
size hole you desire by stopping at the diameter you want. Most people have 
never heard of tapered drills but any hardware clerk will know your wishes. 
Use only on plastic or metal, not ceramic. Styrofoam does not drill well. 
You can make perfect holes in 2lb cottage cheese pots, colored plastic trash 
receptacles and a lot of other containers that make novel pots for an 
interesting display.

These drills can also be used to scroll the bottom of the pot. Write your 
name but keep in mind that it has to retain soil.

The soil must allow complete drainage but still retain enough moisture for 
the feeder roots to suck up enough water to keep the foliage turgid. If 
dense foliage is dependent on an inadequate feeder root system, the foliage 
will die. If feeder roots don't have enough capacity to keep leaves turgid, 
especially in hot weather or direct sun--keep pace that is, with 
transpiration, no amount of irrigation can compensate because a limited root 
system can't take the water into the vascular system fast enough in enough 
volume to prevent critical wilt.

Water will only travel through a pot as far as gravity can take it. How deep 
depends entirely upon at least two factors, the number and location of exit 
holes and soil density. The forces that try to keep the water in the 
pot--attraction of water to soil particles and restricted exit, will 
determine how deep into the medium the watertable will travel. If that is 
half way, all the feeder roots below that, deprived of air, will be in a 
saturated environment where, without air, they will die.

Another common problem is channelling. Water will find the route of least 
resistence along pot walls where erosion will open channels even more. In 
this case, the interior can be bone dry while the water goes straight 
through wetting only the outer tips. To overcome the problem, use a stake or 
blunt end of a dibble to pack the soil down snuggley all around the inside 
of the pot wall and pack the voids with new soil. You will kill a few root 
tips but, with adequate moisture, the plant will love it.

A third problem is, indeed, heat in hanging pots or those on the ground in 
direct sun. Black plastic containers are the most severe. In direct sun, a 
severe heat build-up will kill all feeder roots in close proximity to the 
wall. These roots are necessary to keep foliage turgid but with a 
significant number compromised the foliage dies. Transpiration is the 
plant's cooling system. Without that, the plant probably dies from the lack 
of water rather than from heat exhaustion.

If the root system cannot keep up with transpiration, the leaf will wilt. 
Recovery is quick, however, as soon as moisture is restored unless cell 
colapse has gone beyond the point of no return.

If a pot must be in direct sun, there are several things you can do to 
reduce plant stress.

Dress the pot in ordinary burlap held in place with wooden clothes pins. 
Pretend you are a dress designer and make it look interesting. Shroud the 
plant with Remay.

Get a quart of ordinary white latex paint from the hardware and slap it on 
the pot surface to reflect the sun and reduce root temperature 
significantly.

Pots need frequent flush irrigation. I often nestle a pot on a soil surface 
under a tree and let water filter through from a slow hose for several 
hours. Constant evaporation will build salt to toxic levels if not 
effectively flushed out. Salt buildup, browning starting at the leaf tip 
will creep up the leaf. Leaf cells packed with salt will die. Dead cells 
cannot manufacture carbohydrates and the plant suffers a slow agonizing 
death from starvation rather than heat itself..

There are some plants that truely can't stand our heat but not as many, if 
dealt with wisely. I suspect that more croak from the lack of humidity.

It may help to drape Remay over certain plants under certain confitions. 
Remay is a very lightweight, white cloth that will breathe and allow light 
adequate for most plants to filter through. It can lay right on plants 
without danmage. Pollen will die at about 90 degrees. The plant might 
flourish vegetatively and bloom profusely without producing any fruit. 
Covering it with remay may widen the window slightly. Once the fruit has 
set, tomatoes-perhaps, it will usually survive the heat if not ruined by 
sunburn.

This may not be perfect science but the of Maricopa County Cooperative 
Extension Master Gardener army of volunteers is invited to civily clarify or 
clear the fog from any of it. I learn from my mistakes only if I know I've 
made them or observed the consequences.

Regards,

Dick Gross, MGV U of A MCCE

Bcc: AzCRFG; vosg

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Olin Miller" <derGartenArzt at worldnet.att.net>
To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>; <starpageaz at yahoo.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 04, 2006 6:50 PM
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Re: Flowering Plants in Hanging baskets


> There are quite a few plants that could be grown in hanging containers 
> from late fall to early spring.  But from late spring to early fall, I 
> can't think of any that would grow and survive in our dry weather and 
> blazing desert sun.  The sun, heat and dry summer breezes are too hot for 
> the roots and the sun would burn up an blossoms.
>
> Olin Miller
> Master Gardener Volunteer, Maricopa County AZ
>
> "The opinions or statements expressed herein are my own and should
> not be taken as a position, opinion, or endorsement of
> the University of Arizona."
> ======================================================
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: <starpageaz at yahoo.com>
> Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 4:18 PM
>> 85374,  starpageaz at yahoo.com
>> What can I plant in 12" deep hanging baskets that will be able to survive 
>> in full sun?  Can you suggest a plant that flowers?
>
>
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