If you live in a tropical and warm climate, you will sense hot and humid weather. It is a typical characteristic of the countries belonging to the tropics, i.e. between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
If you live in a tropical and warm climate, you will sense hot and humid weather. It is a typical characteristic of the countries belonging to the tropics, i.e. between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
The countries in South Asia, Central America, and South America face such a climate. Checking the weather data of these places will reveal the presence of high precipitation and average temperatures. You can validate by checking the weather of, say the Philippines, on the weather radar for Cambodia – Philippines.
It doesn’t mean that building a tropical garden is different from the other types of gardening. The plants will have similar needs for water, healthy soil, and proper fertilization. So, what should you do to take care of such a garden? Let’s find out.
The United States Department of agriculture highlights zones 9 to 11 are ideal for tropical gardens. You will find humid and warm weather, at times with a lot of moisture. Such zones experience mild winters, eliminating the threat of freezing temperatures.
The bulbs that you can grow in such conditions include:
The tender plants that you can grow in such conditions include:
Some popular house plants also do well in such conditions. You can choose from:
Gardening in such conditions is not difficult and needs love and care like any other garden. You may need to be a little more vigilant than normal to build a tropical garden of your choice.
You should ensure a few things to grow the tropical plants better, irrespective of whether you live in such a climate.
Grass can withstand heat and get back to normal once it rains. Therefore, you should never overwater them when they turn brown.
Watering the plants early morning or evening is ideal to avoid any damage. Watering them during the day can lead to leaf damage and burning. The heat from the sun’s rays gets magnified by water and creates a problem for the plant.
It is ideal for your soil to be under covers as much as possible during hot and dry days. This approach will help you maintain the soil’s moisture content. If you pursue unnecessary digging around your garden, it leads to loss of moisture and disturbs the roots.
Understanding your garden as per your observation and experience is critical to your gardening journey. You can tweak the plantation and care regime according to your findings.
For example, if you see that a part of the garden retains more moisture, you can plant primulas, or if it is dry, you can plant lavender. This approach will help you get the soil’s benefit and ultimately help the plant you sow in that area.
Choosing a healthy well-drained soil enriched with organic matter is ideal for plantation. Regardless of the location, if you add a 5 cm depth of organic mulch, you can retain moisture in the soil.
You should avoid adding extra fertilizer, which can stop the growth of your flowers due to excess nitrogen. Adding phosphorus or even manure tea will keep it balanced.
When you regularly water your plants without flooding them, they adapt to shallow watering. It encourages the plant roots not to go deeper and become resistant to drought. You can start this when the plants are young as they adapt well during this phase.
One of the most critical aspects of gardening is to take care of your vegetable plot in harsh conditions. On hot summer days, you can ensure that the empty areas of your garden have mulch on them to reduce evaporation. You can also add companion plants that will help your existing vegetables.
Choosing green manure and keeping containers wherever possible is a great idea to counter high heat days. It will allow you an easy movement of pots during unfavorable conditions.
Taking care of the above pointers will help you create a thriving tropical garden at any location. While you are at it, a crucial aspect that you shouldn’t miss is the plant roots. Some plant roots require more or regular watering, while others may be resilient.