Tom's Thumb - June article

Plant for the Heat!
It seems like yesterday I couldn’t wait for the spring garden to bloom. I was excited to see the pansies burst with color, the first blooms of petunias, and the fragrance of roses. Well, spring is over and it’s time to get ready for the heat of summer. Now is the time to get the heat tolerant plants in place for the summer. I have three favorite plants for the hot days of summer.

Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia)
Unlike the cool season snapdragons, these plants love the heat and provide an abundance of flowers. Similar to the winter snapdragons, these plants will bring beauty to the garden throughout the season with colors varying from white to mixed-purple and even pink. These bushy plants, with dark green willow like foliage, range in height from 12 to 20 inches and only need good drainage for continuous growth. Summer snaps are considered an annual in the Brazos Valley and most of the big box stores have them as well as the local nurseries.

Sun Coleus
This is a great accent foliage plant for containers of filler spots in the garden. The sun coleus is relatively new and grows well in the heat and humidity of our area. The plant holds their vibrant leaf colors throughout the summer, and most will double or triple their size by September. One key to continuous growth is to pinch off the blooms to encourage bushier foliage.

Periwinkles (Vinca)
Periwinkles are one honestly one of the “easiest-to-grow” flowers for our area. Once again, they come in a rainbow of colors. I like to plant a flat of one color together in an area for an impact. These plants love the sun and again only require good drainage to grow to about 12 inches tall by midsummer. I like to plant mine about four inches apart for carpet-like continuous color. Periwinkles are annuals but are prolific in their reseeding.

Have a cool summer. Don’t forget to feed the birds!