With summer’s heat and long days, you may be wondering: What should you plant in your southwest Ohio garden? What plants are drought tolerant? What plants won’t wilt at the first sign of summer’s heat? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered so you can garden all summer long. Here’s a list of perennials that you should plant this summer. First though, why plant perennials during Ohio’s summer?
Why Plant Perennials in Summer?
Some people think that gardening stops during the spring in Ohio, but they are wrong! You can garden all summer long, and summer is the perfect time to plant because certain perennials only start to bloom during the summer, and these plants often continue blooming all the way into fall.
So, if you plant perennials in the summer in Ohio, then you’ll have a fun and colorful garden all summer and fall long. Who doesn’t love color for every season in a garden?
Another reason why you should plant perennials in your southwest Ohio garden this summer is because pollinators need food throughout all of the seasons. So, having summer-blooming perennials will help local pollinators get critical nutrition throughout the summer and fall as they prepare for winter.
Now that we’ve established why you should plant perennials in summer, let’s talk about some of our favorite perennials to plant in Ohio gardens during the summer.
You can also check out some of the best perennials to plant this summer for cut flowers if you want to bring your outside garden inside.
Bee Balm (Monarda)
Bee balm (a.k.a. monarda or wild bergamot) gets its name from pioneers using its leaves to soothe bee stings. It is a member of the mint family. But don’t worry, it doesn’t take over a garden like mint can. Bee balm blooms from late spring through the late summer, and it’s one of our favorite pollinator-friendly plants for southwest Ohio gardens. Bee balm comes in red, pink, and purple.
How to Grow
Bee balm is a low-maintenance plant that Ohio gardeners love. Plant bee balm in fertile, well-draining soil. This plant needs full or partial sun and weekly waterings to thrive.
You don’t have to fertilize bee balm. But, if you do, give it a 10-10-10 fertilizer in the spring and then leave it “bee” because overfeeding the plant can discourage bee balm from producing flowers.
Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Coral bells are terrific for rock gardens and woodland landscaping. They also make for wonderful container flowers, border flowers, and ground cover plants. Plus, they are rich in nectar, so they attract hummingbirds from all around!
Their flowers come in red, orange, pink, and white. However, coral bells are most prized for their foliage, which comes in a variety of colors and variegated patterns. Some varieties even have foliage that looks almost black.
The leaves of coral bells are edible and can add a tang to salads and other yummy culinary delights.
How to Grow
Coral bells need rich, well-draining soil and full or partial sun. They can also do well in shady garden areas.
Once coral bells are established, they are relatively drought tolerant. Give them extra water during hot spells during Ohio’s hottest summer days. Otherwise, keep the soil evenly moist to grow the best coral bells around.
Fertilize coral bells with a layer of compost or a light sprinkling of quick-release fertilizer in the spring. If you’re growing them in a container, then give your coral bells all-purpose, water-soluble fertilizer according to the instructions on the fertilizer (usually once a month for maintenance purposes).
Garden Phlox
Garden phlox (a.k.a. tall phlox, summer phlox, or fall phlox) are great low-maintenance plants for Ohio gardens. These plants bloom throughout the summer and come in vibrant pink, purple, and white. They also give off a wonderful fragrance and work well as groundcover plants because they spread easily.
Phlox flowers have five petals and they give Ohio gardens a fun and woodsy vibe. Also, these flowers are beneficial for local Ohio pollinators, particularly bees. So, be careful when using insecticides on or around garden phlox.
How to Grow
Overall, garden phlox is a low-maintenance plant, although it can have powdery mildew. So, avoid getting its leaves wet, but make sure that the soil is evenly moist.
Give garden phlox nutrient-rich, well-draining soil. This plant thrives best in partial shade or full sun.
Fertilize garden phlox with compost in the spring.
Pentas
Pentas have clustering flowers with each flower shaped like a small star. How adorable is that? These stellar and low-maintenance plants are great as container flowers or as in-ground, colorful displays for Ohio gardens. They are also beneficial flowers for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Pentas come in white, yellow, pink, and purple. They bloom throughout the summer and fall in Ohio.
How to Grow
Pentas are plants that can grow in partial shade or full sun. Receiving less than six hours of daylight may discourage the plant from blooming.
Give pentas fertile, well-draining soil and water the plants regularly as they become well established. After that, they are low-maintenance plants and can survive on rainfall in Ohio.
Fertilize pentas with a 5-5-5 fertilizer throughout the growing season. During the spring and summer, give the plant liquid fertilizer every four to six weeks.
Shasta Daisy
When you think of daisies, you probably are thinking of the Shasta daisy. It’s one of the happiest flowers around, and it will add a cheery feel to your Ohio garden. Shasta daisies are great for local butterflies, and Monarch butterflies love these flowers.
Shasta daisies have white petals with a yellow center, and they bloom in July in Ohio and then periodically throughout the summer and fall. They make for great border flowers, bedding flowers, and container flowers where they can act as spiller plants.
How to Grow
Shasta daisies need partial shade or full sun to thrive. They also need rich and well-draining soil. Although Shasta daisies are drought-tolerant flowers, they still need moist conditions to thrive. They are sensitive to overwatering. So, err on the side of underwatering instead of overwatering.
Fertilize Shasta daisies with compost in the spring, and then give them a balanced fertilizer each month throughout Ohio’s summer.
Reach Out to Stockslager’s Greenhouse & Garden Center for Guidance, Supplies, & Perennial Plants
If you want to create a beautiful garden full of summer flowers that is also beneficial for Ohio’s pollinators, then come by Stockslager’s Greenhouse & Garden Center and let us assist you. We have all of the above plants available in our Ohio greenhouse (while supplies last) as well as all of the gardening supplies you’ll need this summer. Call our garden center at 937-687-2722 for questions about availability.
If you have any questions about planting a summer perennial garden or about gardening in Ohio, then you can visit us or give us a call, and one of our knowledgeable experts will be happy to assist you. We want to help bring your perennial garden dreams to life. We hope that you’ll stop by!
