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Container Gardening in Door County, WI: Plants for Hot Afternoon Sun

For a west-facing patio in zone 5a with shade all day and intense afternoon sun, choose heat-tolerant annuals and perennials. Top flower picks: dianthus, verbena, flax, penstemon, alyssum, calibrachoa, lobelia, scabiosa, sedum, snapdragon, phlox. Spring bulbs (tulips, daffodils) bloom before heat arrives; store dormant bulbs in a cool garage over summer.

Lemon grass isn’t hardy—bring indoors for winter. Herbs: rosemary, lavender, thyme, sage, fennel thrive in pots. Shrubs need very large containers; master flowers first.

Check soil daily in hot weather—water when dry. Fertilize monthly unless temps exceed 90°F. If plants stretch, they need more light. Use a shade barrier to keep roots cool while foliage gets sun.

Container Gardens: Ionopsis & Psygmorchis pusilla: Twig Epiphytes—Challenging but Rewarding; Tolumnia Culture: Difficult Twig Epiphytes for Bright, Humid Conditions; When to Fertilize Roses in Spring: Timing for Healthy Growth in Cold Climates; Transitioning Carnivorous Plants from Full Sun to Grow Lights; Growing Pinguicula primuliflora: Light Requirements and Availability of Other Species; Growing Avocado from Seed Indoors in New England; Morning Sun/Afternoon Shade Container: Impatiens or Begonias, Not Geraniums; Best Plants for Whiskey Barrels in Hot Alabama Sun: Crown of Thorns & Desert Rose; Growing Zucchini in Containers: Vertical Training for Small Spaces; Impatiens Yellowing in Containers: Overwatering Diagnosis and Light Optimization

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