Tropical Plants - Day 18: 21 Days of Garden Fatigue

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Tropical plants are not everybody's cup of tea especially if you happen to live in regions that are prone to snow and frosts during winter. But even if you are, you may still decide to keep some living indoors where the temperature can be controlled.

Bromeliads, hellaconias, kalanchoe are wonderful tropicals that can do well indoors but given a little help can survive well outdoors in most regions as well. Read on for some things to consider to keep them growing well...

Temperature is the most important variable for tropical plants to survive and live healthy lives. They require temperatures to be between 10C (50F) and 26C (80F) constantly which is hard to achieve (although not impossible) when you don't live in tropical areas. The best way to keep tropical plants warm in the garden is to ensure they're protected from wind corridors and can receive an adequate amount of light.
Light many tropical plants grow in rainforests where they are concealed below a canopy of taller trees and so only receive filtered light if any. If your tropical plant is placed in hard light it will struggle and unless repositioned will eventually die. If you are trying to create a rainforest in your garden you will need to be patient while the canopy is growing before you underplant with your favourite tropical plants.
Water is not as important as is humidity. Tropical plants would normally be mulched extremely well on the floor of a rainforest and the warmth from the mulch accompanied with the moisture remaining from almost zero evaporation can usually be enough to sustain these plants. Others that require more usually are shaped to collect it themselves such as bromeliads. They don't require a lot of water to their roots but trap it in their leaves and disperse it from there.

Posted by Stuart on January 31, 2006 4:47 AM | Permalink | Check to Subscribe to this Comment:

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