A Touch of the Tropics

Give your garden or patio an exotic flair by growing tropical plants. These easy-growing beauties leap out of soil, quickly growing to fill containers or beds with south-of-the-border style. Raising tropical foliage and flowering plants can give your yard resort ambience, making everyday feel like a vacation.

Tropical plants grow their best when summer heat and humidity settles in. When you’re uncomfortable and seeking air conditioning, tropical plants are feeling at home. Locate tropicals in a location with all-day sun and plenty of heat. Surfaces like blacktop, building walls, or stone mulch all reflect and radiate heat, which promotes tropical growth—as long as they receive enough water.

Water tropical plants consistently once temperatures start to climb. Check pots daily; water if soil is dry. Some tropicals, such as elephant ears or ginger, prefer very moist soil. Ask the Greenstreet horticulturists if the tropical you buy demands damp conditions.

Plant tropicals in soil high in organic matter. In planting beds, amend soil with Coast of Maine Bumper Crop Organic Soil Builder. Fill containers with Coast of Maine Gardener’s Gold Organic Potting Soil. For palm trees, use Miracle-Gro Cactus-Palm Mix.

Fertilize tropical bloomers, like hibiscus and mandevilla vine, with a product that promotes flower formation. Faithfully remove spent blossoms, too, to keep the flowers coming.

Fertilize tropical foliage plants, like banana and elephant ears, with a product high in nitrogen. Slow-release or water soluble types work fine.

Secrets to Success with Tropical Plants
• Tropicals love heat. Peak growth occurs in summer.
• Keep soil moist for strong growth.
• Feed flowering plants with bloom booster fertilizer every 10 to 14 days.
• Mix organic matter into soil.