When temperatures soar, take gardening to shady spots

The heat of the summer has shown itself early this year with late-May and early-June temperatures already in the 90s.

To work comfortably outside on these hot days, it’s best to confine gardening activities to the shady areas of our yards and gardens.

There are some beautiful plants that prefer to grow in shady areas under trees, near garages or fences, and on the north sides of our homes. A trick to growing healthy plants in the shade is to check carefully before planting just how much shade the plant will tolerate. Some shade plants actually need some sun in order to perform well, while others will do just fine in deep shade. Hostas are commonly believed to be a deep shade plant but there are varieties that require more sun than shade.

The following are shade plants and the amount of shade each can tolerate as well as other growing requirements for their healthy performance:

• Hellebore (Helleborus spp.) is a flowering perennial that will grow in full shade and will also tolerate dry conditions (making it ideal for growing under spreading trees). It blooms in the early spring with white, pink, red, yellow or green blooms and it is very pest resistant.

• Toad lily (Tricyrtis hirta) is a flowering perennial that blooms in the fall with white, pink or lavender flowers. This plant will not tolerate full shade but prefers an area with light to part shade.

• Brunnera (Brunnera macrophyllia) is a perennial that produces tiny, blue blooms and has variegated heart-shaped leaves. It will flourish in full shade and prefers moist soil.

• Coral Bells (Heuchera hybrids) produces tiny, colorful blooms on tall spikey stems. It will grow in part-shade and needs moist soil. The darker the color of the foliage of the Heuchera plant the more shade it will tolerate.

• Astilbe (Astilbe spp.) is a perennial that sports ferny, feathery foliage and airy plumes of blooms. It does well in part shade and requires plenty of moisture. It is very pest-resistant.

• Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaris mojalis) is a very hardy ground cover that does well in full shade and blooms in late spring with tiny, bell-shaped blooms that are very fragrant. This perennial will spread and cover bare areas under trees.

• White Trillium (Trillium grandifloram) is a native perennial that can be found in wooded areas. Trillium can be purchased at garden centers and will grow comfortably in part shady, moist areas of your yard. It has large, deep-green, puffy-veined leaves and large white or pink blooms that bloom in early spring.

• Impatiens (Impatiens spp.), commonly sold at most garden centers, come in many bright colors and will bloom all season. Impatiens will grow in full shade but they need plenty of moisture to do well.

• Deadnettle (Lamium spp.) is a perennial ground cover that will do well and spread in the shade. Tolerant of dry conditions, the foliage comes in a variegated silver and green, chartreuse and deep green. It produces purple flowers.

Most gardeners have already applied plant foods and fertilizers to their gardens to feed the growing plants through the summer season. However, it is not too early to begin to notice signs and symptoms in plants that may indicate nutritional deficiencies. For instance, slow stunted growth with a marked yellowing of a plant’s foliage may show a need for nitrogen.

Slow, stunted growth in a fruit-bearing plant with delayed ripening or poor fruit development may mean the tree or shrub needs extra phosphorus.

If a plant has weak shoots, small fruit or slow growth and yellowing at the edges of the leaves, potassium may be low.

If deformed foliage and buds are a problem, calcium will help.

Yellowing between the veins of a leaf will respond to magnesium and pale, early leaves on a plant with thin weak stems can be aided with sulphur.

Plant fertilizers are marked on the bag or box and most include N, P and K. Some fertilizers also include secondary minerals such as calcium, sulphur and magnesium.

Fertilizers are usually applied in the spring but can be used through the gardening season. Special applications to specific trees, shrubs, flowers, etc. can mean the difference between healthy, luxuriant growth and weak, spindly plants. Weakened plants often cannot make it through periods of extreme weather and will usually have little or no productive value.

It pays to feed your plants and try to feed according to what the signs and symptoms require.

If you have garden questions or tips for other gardeners, send them in to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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