Considering some of the adverse conditions in shaded areas, gardeners always seem to avoid them for what appears to be the lack of opportunities these locations seem to offer. However, there are numerous plants which thrive tremendously under such conditions.
Gardening in the shade can be ever so severe; you must understand the basics and more.
Many objects can cast a dim shadow over your precious greenery, be it a shade of a tree, a fence or even a shade of a flower. These artefacts can have side effects detrimental to your garden. One big negative is that only certain plant types can grow in the shade.
Unfortunately for some newbie gardeners out there they overlook the aspects of shade and don’t factor in their own needs. It may also be impossible to cut down that tree because of that inconvenient flower shade to stop that tree shade or to pluck all of your flowers out of the soil.
There are plenty of shade-loving gardeners out there though if you feel that your garden is too shady to see the daylight then why not do the best and set up a shade garden.
The trick to your success is to understand the type of shade you have in your garden. Of example, there are various types of shade, deep shade sometimes down the side of the house or under trees, light shade and dappled shade. If you struggle with deep shade and nothing is going to grow, gracefully accept defeat and mulch. The dark shade is where any lighting exists, and there can grow plants with low light requirements. The dappled shade is where light filters through the canopy and receives some daytime sunshine.
Things you should learn before you start shade gardening:
You aren’t alone in the forest, and there are a
whole community and blogs dedicated to gardening.
Consider that the shade is truly dark. The lighting variations will affect your choice of plants in the garden.
Make sure you know what kind of shade plants can comprehend. Here’s a short list to help you out. Golden Scaled Male Fern, Jack-In-The-Pulpit, Japanese Yew, Masterwort, Royal Fern, Tree Ivy, Western Sword Fern, Wood Anemone. (On a side note-the thing that is likeable about shade gardening is the ability to use plants that you wouldn’t usually have in an open summer garden).
If the shade-causing entity is your own home then there is something you can do about it-water your garden regularly even though it has rained properly. The explanation for this is that rain will bounce away from your garden and deprive it of the water needed.
Soil is next on the shadow list. Adequate fertility is a must-have for any plants you want. Apply the springtime fertilizer with a few more applications over the whole season.
It is strongly recommended that the soil be well-drained. Stir in any compost or other organic matter.
Colour
Don’t think about your shade garden’s lack of light, because you may still get some beautiful colour. It isn’t all doom to be.
Some of the advantages of shade gardening
Shade gardens deliver some of the most natural environments and happily flourish with little effort. There are the necessary tools available, and the possibilities are limitless with a bit of creativity.
In these areas, humidity is usually much more abundant. It evaporates much more slowly than in sunny locations, the only exception being when the summer months are arid and harsh, which can dehydrate new and tender growth that many shade plants tend to have.
A particular commitment to this condition should be attention to frequent watering to prevent growing or wilting problems. Hosta, Solomon Seal, low bush blueberries, columbine, Japanese iris, and water iris will be prime examples. All these thrive in the fertile, moist organic forest soils and shade areas, so watering is necessary during the hotter summer months.
When properly cared for, these plants seem to fend for themselves very well, but some known diseases associated with high moisture content can cause some problems, so watering should be avoided at all costs.
Different root rot in Iris, and Powdery Mildew,
both love the moisture levels these shaded areas offer. For some reason, the
plant material that grows so well here can also succumb to a wide-spread
outbreak of these diseases if present. Importantly, and in any case, keep a
good supply of chemical or organic fungicide at your disposal to protect your
plants from decay.