backyard garden tips

You Can Grow Drought-Tolerant Plants in Your Garden

By Victoria Lincoln 28 November, 2022 7 mins read

There are a variety of drought-tolerant plants you can use in your garden. These include Artemisia, succulents, and Cacti. These plants are native to their region and are therefore a great choice as drought-tolerant plants. They are also hardy and should mimic their natural habitat.

Artemisia

This plant does best in a sunny area and is drought-tolerant. It can thrive in rock gardens. Artemisia needs good drainage and good air circulation. It will struggle with wet soil and dense, compacted soil. Plant artemisias in soil that's not too heavy, but not too arid.

Although it is a drought tolerant plant, artemisia plants need a certain pH range. You can test the soil for artemisia to determine the optimal conditions and any amendments that you should make. Overwatering can cause root rot. It likes a moist growing medium, and is not fond of clay soil.

Silver mound artemisia has attractive silver-gray leaf and is a low-growing perennial. It forms a mounded form with short, woody stems and aromatic, silky-gray foliage. It produces small white blossoms on arching stalks measuring 18 inches to 45 cm in height. It is important to trim the foliage in the summer so that the flowers don't bloom.

Artemisia is a drought-tolerant shrub with elastic cell walls. Predawn water potentials for plants that have supplemental water increased by up to 2 MPa. Those without water dropped to -5MPa. The shrubs also had lower leaf solute contents during drought. Also, the shrubs' leaf water volume fell by 75% during drought, indicating that solutes had been passively concentrated.

Cacti

If you live in a region with high drought conditions, it is important that you choose plants that can withstand these conditions. Cacti make excellent choices in drought-prone areas because they can adapt to harsh environments. These succulents are often found in dry regions around the world.

Overwatering can cause damage to the roots of cacti. So only water when absolutely necessary. You should let the soil dry between waterings. If the soil is too wet, the roots of cacti will begin to rot. The plant will eventually become yellowish and squishy.

Cacti are one the most drought-tolerant plants. Cacti can store water by using special tissues. They have abundant stomata in the leaves that are covered in fine hairs that help trap moisture. They have developed a method called C4 to fix carbon in soil. This allows them to store water in the ground.

California is home 32 species of cacti. The most commonly found cacti are the Opuntia and the Prickly Pear Cactus. The Ferocactus, Echinocereus and Sclerocactus are other cacti.

Succulents

A succulent is a kind of plant that doesn’t require much water but can withstand temperatures down to minus zero. Although succulents do require light for growth, they need to be in a dry area. They are a great choice for people who want to grow plants outdoors. Succulents can be grown in outdoor areas and are low-maintenance. Succulents are easy to care for and come in many colors and types.

Succulents evolved in very dry environments. Because of this, their leaves as well as stems are designed for water storage. A waxy layer is formed on their leaves which helps prevent water loss. Be aware of pests like gophers that can cause severe damage to succulents.

Aloe vera is one of the most drought-tolerant succulents. This plant is great for minor skin irritations. It can even be grown outdoors in USDA Zones 11, 12. It can be grown as a small tree, and it has beautiful yellow flowers. Because of its healing properties, it is often called the "medicine tree". The plant has been used for thousands of years by ancient cultures all over the globe to treat ailments and heal wounds.

Lamb's ears

Lamb's ears are versatile plants that can withstand drought. For proper airflow, they thrive in well-drained soil that has at least 12 inches between them and the ground. They don’t need much water. However they can be affected by leaf rot if soil is too moist or gets too much rainfall. Because they have fuzzy leaves, they are excellent groundcover plants. They are great for creating a natural border around your garden or soft edging. You must choose the best place for your lamb's ears to be planted. You should protect your ears from mulch if you plan to use them as groundcover.

Lamb's ears do well in zones 4-10. They can also tolerate a variety of soil types. It is important that they receive enough light and water. It is important to keep them safe from the sun as it can cause them to become too hot. They need space of approximately 12 inches on all sides. Three gallons of soil is required to plant them in a container. If you don’t want to spend money on a whole plant, you could divide the roots and make them your own. To avoid your plant becoming too old and dying, you'll need to do this at least three times per year.

The best way to multiply lamb's ears is by sowing seeds and/or dividing existing plants. The former is more efficient and produces a greater success rate than starting with seeds. It takes advantage of the natural tendency of plants to grow. The best time of year to divide a mature tree is in early spring. The best place to grow lamb's ears is in a sunny area of the garden that receives partial or full sunlight. The soil should also be slightly acidic and well-drained.

Licorice

Licorice is a drought-tolerant perennial plant native to South Africa. It can reach 18 inches in height, and three feet in width. It can be planted directly into the ground, without requiring a facer plant. It grows quickly and can last up to 10+ years under the best conditions.

This plant is great in pots, landscapes, and outdoor hanging baskets. The plant requires regular watering. But the water must not be too dry and should drain well. For a fuller plant, prune or pinch back any older stems. Regular watering will prevent the licorice plant from getting rotten.

Licorice is drought-tolerant and has multi-branched stems. It is silvery-green with silvery leaves. Although it prefers full sun, it can also be used in shade. It has gray-green foliage with hints of silver. Licorice doesn't attract any deer and is low-maintenance. It pairs well with many different flowers.

Licorice is drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant. Biochar application in the soil alleviates salt stress in licorice and improves the plant's root system adaptation. Researchers found that 2% Biochar in soil increased root biomass and shoot biomass by 80% and 31% respectively over 40 days.

Erygnium x zabelii

Erygnium is a semi evergreen perennial that bears violet or blue flowers. This hybrid was formed by crossing Eryngium bicolor and Eryngium alpinum. Its leaves are heart-shaped and dark green and its stems are blue.

The plant is very ornamental and will bring beauty to your garden. It is also known by the name 'Big Blue Sea Holly,' and is a good choice for low-maintenance garden. They are a lovely, bright, blueish-blue flower. They can reach a height of 30 inches and require little to no maintenance.

This plant is best suited for sunny locations and well-drained ground. This plant has a large taproot that makes it difficult for you to move. It will need infrequent deep watering but should not be overwatered. It does not require deadheading or fertilizing, but will tolerate fertilizer. It does not like the roots being disturbed.

Yarrow

Yarrow can grow in most soils and is drought-tolerant once established. It spreads underground via its extensive root network. It needs to be well-drained, but not too heavy feeder. Overwatering can result in fungal diseases. The yarrow flower will bloom multiple times throughout the summer. It is best to keep the flowers deadheaded to encourage more blooms.

Zones three through nine are ideal for Yarrow. It grows best in well-drained, sandy soils. It can tolerate both regular garden soil and poor soil. If you have an unsatisfactory soil, you can add bone meal to it. The dry stalks can be left for wildlife habitat and winter enjoyment.

Split the plant using a spade. Place the new pieces in a sunny area that is well-drained. For best results, Yarrow should be planted at least six inches deep and should have three or more shoots per part. You can also propagate it by cuttings. To get the best results, yarrow stems must be cut fresh and should have three to six buds. They won't need to be watered for more than a week. Watering them should only occur if the soil has drained and the plant has grown sufficiently.

You can grow yarrow in pots and containers. It attracts many insects and is a great plant for pollination. It also boosts soil nutrient values in compost heaps. It can also serve as a green manure.

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FAQ

What seeds should be started indoors?

A tomato seed is the best for indoor gardening. Tomatoes grow quickly and bear good fruit all year. If you are growing tomatoes in pots, take care when you transplant them to the ground. Planting tomatoes too early can lead to soil drying out which could lead roots to rot. Plant diseases like bacterial disease can quickly kill plants.

Do I need any special equipment?

Not really. You only need a trowel, shovel, watering can, and a rake.

What amount of sunlight does a plant require?

It depends on which plant it is. Some plants need 12 hours of direct sun per day. Others prefer 8 hours in indirect sunlight. Most vegetables need at least 10 hours of direct sunlight per 24-hour time period.

Statistics

As the price of fruit and vegetables is expected to rise by 8% after Brexit, the idea of growing your own is now better than ever. (countryliving.com)
Most tomatoes and peppers will take 6-8 weeks to reach transplant size so plan according to your climate! - ufseeds.com
It will likely be ready if a seedling has between 3 and 4 true leaves. (gilmour.com)
According to a survey from the National Gardening Association, upward of 18 million novice gardeners have picked up a shovel since 2020. (wsj.com)

External Links

bonnieplants.com

almanac.com

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