Hot and dry spot

Dry areas can be a problem for most plants. If you have spots in your landscape that just don’t get much water, be sure to choose plants that thrive in those conditions. There are several drought tolerant trees that you can plant for shade. If this is really a dry area, consider planting a drought tolerant ground cover for shade around those trees for a nice contrast and an easy to care for spot. If planting in an area that receives regular irrigation or rain, you should plant on a mound so that water will naturally run away from your plants. Be sure to use ground covers in this area to help with erosion.

It is best to use a very well draining soil for plants that prefer to stay on the dry side. Avoid using peat as it retains water. Add some perlite to your existing soil to help increase drainage properties. If you plan on growing your plants in a container, add a layer of pebbles to the bottom of the container and be sure to use a cactus type mix such as our Desert Rose (Adenium) Soilless Mix for the best drainage. As the name implies, Adeniums love this soil and are great drought tolerant flowers. Learn what your plants like as they will need to be watered at some point. Many do well with water once per week and others require you to watch the soil and water only when dry.

Yes, there are some fruit trees that actually do quite well in dryer areas. One drought tolerant fruit tree is the Pomegranate. They like hot and dry and then prefer a little water when it is cooler. Figs, Guavas, and Loquats are also quite drought tolerant and would prefer to be a little dryer than wet all the time. If you are looking for drought tolerant shrubs, the Euphorbia family does great with little water. There are many to chose from and they are all a bit different. They also make great container plants.

You can find plenty of plants, which can be grown in hot and dry areas, for sale in our online store. If you are looking for high quality plants for sale near you and you are in the Southwest Florida, Ft. Myers area, please visit our Garden Center located at 13890 Orange River Blvd., Ft. Myers, FL 33905 and see our collection of tropical trees. Our dedicated and knowledgeable staff will help you select the best plants for your landscape and needs.