plants for pots

good morning everyone,
we are new to AZ and while I had lots of gardens in PA I need some advice on what will grow here. Right now I'm looking for plants to go in a rather large pot (3ft diameter). The pot will be against the house facing North. What plants would do well here and last thru the summer heat?
Thanks for any advice you can give me.
Maryann

Hi Maryann. I grow mostly annuals in pots but do have a few perrenials in pots. Believe it or not, what grows outside best for me in the summer are houseplants. Namely the spider plant. I have several of those I've had for years on my patio. There are some very knowlegeble people here that can give you some good suggestions but the secret in growing anything here in the summer is monitoring the amount of direct sun and LOTS of water.

Welcome to AZ! What part of Pennsylvania are you from? My family is in Pittsburgh. Although I have lived here in the desert for 26+ years. I usually have petunias in my pots . I am new at gardening but I know the "Master Gardeners" here will on this site will be able to give you many more suggestions!

BTY, I'm originally from Doylestown. Just north of Philly. Been here for 30 years.

Hi MaryAnn - It's me, Texas Mtn Laurel killer [maybe]. We're hoping it bounces back in warm weather. The Lady Banks are faring somewhat better.

Anyway, watch the nurseries for Wave petunias. They are so awesome and would do well in full sun and a large container with some other stuff mixed in. For a great idea go to Fish_Knees thread titled Snaps and Tunias. Check that picture.

I'm sure others will offer more suggestions but those petunias are my best bet. The Wave variety does not require deadheading and are pest resistant.

Cheers~
Mary

I'm going to say Hi! but leave the pot planting advice to others - I've sworn off of pots unless they're on my patio that gets no direct light - the sun just cooks the roots of plants so easily here that it isnt an easy task.

Oh, and those lovely wire things with the coir liners in them? You can figure on watering them multiple times a day - they dry out in no time, sun or none. Arrrgh!

>pagancat, aka potless in peeniks<

Sheryl

I'm not up for watering outdoor pots twice a day and having to fuss with them constantly so unless you have a very sheltered area and are more ambitious than I am I would ixnay the petunias.

Take a look at vairieties of agaves, lots of different structual forms there and most will grow in partial shade just fine. Um, actually I've found most anything grows fine in some shade in our southwestern summer, including roses. Sedums, "autumn joy" and "matrona" do beautifully in heat. Most ornamental grasses are incredibly easy if you want height.

Take a look at ordinary, everday, landscape plants common in your area. Think "outside the box" and combine some in new ways in your planter. Just because no one else grows it in a container does not mean you can't and it is the easiest way to get familiar with what grows easily in your area.

Pagancat: try say, an small opuntia like "bunny ears" or sotol (dasylirion wheeleri) some chocolate flower (berlandiera lyrata), and some type of succulent trailer like ice plant or even plain old "red apple" and see if that doesn't work for you.

thanks everyone! Lots of good ideas to ponder.
What a gorgeous day.......think I'll plant the autumn sage I couldn't resist. One more question......what IS that fragrance I smell just about everywherea - neighborhood, nature trail, green belt area of our neighborhood and even driving around? I LOVE it.
We moved here in Oct from Pittsburgh (yea Steelers!) We love it here and never want to go back east. Hate the snow, ice, cold, dreary days, no sunshine.
Again, thanks. I'm glad I found this web site!
Maryann

Thanks Dana, I might just try those ideas. I've got one pot of Pencil cactus right now - figure if that can't take the heat, NOTHING will! I also have all of my high water plants in pots - brugmansia, gardenia, etc. - pots are great for plants that need high acidity or a lot of water, so you don't throw it away on our alkaline, dry soil.

Maryann, if you're interested, I posted a class on pot gardening this morning. Take a look at the thread named "Woo hoo!! etc., etc." and you'll see a link to my website on the first post there.

Maryann, you might be noticing the Creosote bush. It has a wonderful fresh/rain scent.

Well I smelled rain today and I'm darn happy about that! I don't know what you're smelling but the creosote is filling the air here.

I've got tons of pots but almost all get afternoon shade - and some only get early morning sun. My "plants" are hooked to the drip system but my cactus and succulents get handwatered - more often than the c&s that are in the ground.

Is your north facing pot full sun or part sun? And 3'? I think the autumn sage gets about 2' wide and 4' tall. You may be able to group it with two other smaller things that take the same amount of water or you might prefer the solitary look. I'm not completely confident that autumn sage can take full sun in a pot - but that may only be due to my lack of bravery! I humbly suggest you indulge in a little shopping, see what hearty full-sun things appeal to you, and come back and toss the ideas around.

This message was edited Mar 1, 2006 4:04 PM

If you want something xer-ish you might try a bottle palm, beaucarnia recurvata; they're real dramatic. Or if you want green & fluffy the asparagus fern, asparagus densiflorus, is really fresh and lush looking and remarkably durable (i.e., I kept one alive for years outside in a pot facing E with a little overhang). The asp. fern is a nice backrop for something providing contrast. Everyone has mentioned lots of good choices! And Kimaz is right: for most things, lots of water.

The asparagus fern is a good idea. I have one and deserteden is right, it's easy to keep it fresh and lush looking. Mine is in a large terra cota pot, maybe 2' across. It's doing well in dappled shade under the carob tree.

HTH.
Mary

Aren't we very lucky?
I smell the rain, the creosote.
Today I smelled the orange blossoms. Yorkshire and I-17. A little early, a reward/bonus for the lack of rain... I assume I may have smelled the orange blossoms in April if we'd had cooler weather. But , yea, I caught the fragranc e of the orange blossom today.