Help! Everything dies. I need heat tolerant plants for containers.

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I live in zone 9. The soil here SUCKS. I’ve tried planting in ground with no luck, I’m trying containers but the plants I guess dry up so quickly because of the heat/sun. I don’t want to have to use anything to cover the pots, I just want a pretty garden out front. I’m about to give up nothing lives. My lavender dies all the time no matter what I do. Even drought resistant shrubs. I don’t have a green thumb at all it seems. I have been at this for half a year and I’ve researched my butt off.
Are there any plants that are pretty that are good for containers? That won’t die from heat?
 

alp

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You could add some watering retentive gel into your soil and dress the top of the soil with pebbles, colourful stones or shingle. Also, put a upturned bottle with a screw top, but make some 3 holes in the top and (bigger hole) in the upturned bottom so that the plant can receive water slowly but steadily.
 
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I live in zone 9. The soil here SUCKS. I’ve tried planting in ground with no luck, I’m trying containers but the plants I guess dry up so quickly because of the heat/sun. I don’t want to have to use anything to cover the pots, I just want a pretty garden out front. I’m about to give up nothing lives. My lavender dies all the time no matter what I do. Even drought resistant shrubs. I don’t have a green thumb at all it seems. I have been at this for half a year and I’ve researched my butt off.
Are there any plants that are pretty that are good for containers? That won’t die from heat?
Cactus
 
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Bougainvillea. They can take a ton of heat, thrive on heat and be pruned and shaped to climb or be more of a bushy shape. Will wilt when dry, but as long as you don‘t let them go days in that state they will bounce back. Letting them dry out encourages blooming.

Pentas thrive in sun and heat. Vincas love heat and are very drought tolerant. Ixora is another low maintenance colorful shrub. Firebush, Hamelia patens, Coneflower, coreopsis, Portulaca. Zinnias, marigolds.
 

alp

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Hi @alp! I should come visit your thread. I hope you have been spared grief during this covid thing.

Quite frightening and sad. Sad for the whole world, people who died and diminished in immune system and quality of life because of this. It utterly has exposed the ivory tower unrealistic "solutions" of our ruling echelon - Eton and Oxbridge nest feathering careerists. We really should learn from Australia .. Ooops, sorry! OP!

OP: You could also try succulent such as Money tree which I never really want but was given it. I gifted someone something and asked for the orange pot back. Instead, no orange pot, but a money tree. I can't throw it away as people say .. Well, I'm kind of superstitious! I saw part of the roots sticking out and yet after one whole month, it's still alive. I have to say, it was screen off by a porch door.

Bearded irises will certainly love your garden and you don't need to cover anything. They like their rhizomes baked. Or peonies.

I have no soil here and the gap is about 4 inches and 6 at the widest.
SAM_3387.JPG
 
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Bougainvillea. They can take a ton of heat, thrive on heat and be pruned and shaped to climb or be more of a bushy shape. Will wilt when dry, but as long as you don‘t let them go days in that state they will bounce back. Letting them dry out encourages blooming.

Pentas thrive in sun and heat. Vincas love heat and are very drought tolerant. Ixora is another low maintenance colorful shrub. Firebush, Hamelia patens, Coneflower, coreopsis, Portulaca. Zinnias, marigolds.
I must’ve done something wrong with the bougainvillea. All the beautiful pink petals came off. I don’t know if I watered too much or not enough. I tried both and it looks so sad.
My pentas are not doing well. I’m just convinced that they are being scorched in those pots. I even had to move some cactus indoor because I think they were being sunburned, started turning green again in the front porch. I think Florida weather just sucks for gardening lol.
 

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