Garden Techniques

Most plant roots need oxygen & only some can access the oxygen dissolved in water. Overwatering is one of the most common mistakes & something that challenges me. It doesn't help that many containers for sale lack important drainage holes. Here are some plants that need wet soil or are quite good at recovering from overwatering.

Indoor

• Boston Fern

• Pothos

Outdoor

• Blue Lobelia

• Cardinal Flower

• Obedient Plant

• Mallows: Hardy Hibiscus, Rose Mallow, Marshmallow

Bonus Tip: Perlite is my new best friend. I frequently mix it into my potting soil to improve drainage. It looks like styrofoam but is actually natural volcanic glass that has been popped like popcorn.

These are outdoor plants that grow best in temperatures between 40 & 80 degrees. They have some frost tolerance. Potted plants can be moved indoors when outside temps get lower than 40 or higher than 80.

Move In & Outside

• Rosemarry

• Snapdragons

In Ground

• Brassicas (Broccoli, Kale, Cabbage, etc.)

• Collard Greens

• Calendula

• Chamomile

• Flax

• Snapdragons (Perennial, but grown as an annual because they usually go dormant or die during summer/winter.

• Peas

When STL's hot, humid summers come around these plants hold up really well with little care. They have high drought tolerance. Many of these species won't grow in low spring or fall soil temperatures. 

Outside

• • Baptisia species

  • Celosia

  • Marigolds

  • Yucca

  • Zinnia

Western & Southern sunlight are more intense than morning sun & can damage the foliage of some plants. 

Indoor

• Cactus (not succulents or aloe, but the full on prickly kind)

• Yucca

• Snapdragons (but only inside)

Outdoor

• Baptisia species

• Cardinal Flower

• Obedient Plant

• Mallows: Hardy Hibiscus, Rose Mallow, Marshmallow

• Day Lilies

Are you worried about bad soil? Maybe its been abused through overfarming, heavy construction or abandonment. These species have been selected for their ability to colonize poor soil.

Indoor

• Pothos

• Zygocactus

Outdoor

• Baptisia species

• Coreopsis

• Daffodils

• Pink Primrose

• Yucca

I know I know, we aren't anywhere near the Mediterranean, however some of our favorite vegetables, herbs & flowers hail from this region. These plants prefer cool, breezy & dry. With a few tricks you can find ways to enjoy these plants even with STL's dramatic weather. 

Fully Indoor

• • Rosemary

  • Snapdragons

  • Citrus Trees

Outside Spring & Fall, 

Inside Summer & Winter

• • Snapdragons

  • Oregano

Outside

• • Culinary Sage

  • Thyme

These plants are some of the most forgiving, making them great for new gardeners. I selected these species for their abilities to tolerate a range of conditions. They can handle a little too much or too little water, a little too much or too little sun.

Indoor

• Pothos

• Zygocactus

Outdoor

• Spring Bulbs: crocus, hyacinth, daffodils, tulips

• Eastern Red Cedar, Juniperus virginiana

• Penstemons (Native Flowers)