Scaevola plants fill a niche for gardeners seeking a heat tolerant plant for their summer containers: its thick stems ensure drought tolerance in full sun locations, even in triple digit temperatures. Scaevola plants are intriguing specimens for the hanging basket, where you can observe their hand-shaped delicate blooms up close. The plants will die at the first hint of frost, but it's easy to pot up a few cuttings for the next season.
Scaevola plants prefer to be on the dry side, but they are not true xeriscape plants and so do need occasional watering. Plants growing in wet soil may attract fungus gnats, or may experience root rot. Wait until the soil surface is dry to water. Wilted plants will perk up quickly after irrigation.
Choose a site with full to partial sun for best scaevola performance. Plants in hot, dry desert areas may remain more pert when placed in a location with dappled shade.
Accustomed to the lean growing conditions of its native Australia, scaevola plants require only a light feeding. Choose a balanced flower fertilizer low in phosphorus, which can cause flower and foliage discoloration. Apply the fertilizer once a month during the growing season.
Rich soil isn't necessary for thriving scaevola plants. While soil of average fertility is fine, good drainage is an important ingredient of healthy plant growth. When growing in the ground, amend heavy clay soils or use raised beds.
Like most trailing annuals, scaevola benefits from a little snipping here and there to keep it tidy and to encourage the plant to grow in a branching habit, rather than developing long, lanky stems. Scaevola is self-cleaning and does not need to be deadheaded, but you can cut it back by half after the first big flush of blooms to encourage new growth and spur even more flowering.
Scaevola plants grow vigorously in warm to hot weather. Temperatures below 60 degrees F will cause flowering to slow or stop. Temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees yield the happiest plants with compact growth, but hot temperatures are also well tolerated.
vacationsummerlistJul 20 · 8 min readFull Guide on Hawaiian Plants & FlowersIt's time to say ‘Aloha’ to your new host of plant pals: this is everything you need to know about growing Hawaiian plants & flowers.
care-guidefungusguideMar 28 · 9 min readHow to Grow Magic Mushrooms?This is the only guide you’ll ever need to start growing psilocybin mushrooms. Buckle up and grab your wand, it’s time for a lesson in responsible herbology.
tipsfertilizingexplainerMay 4 · 5 min readHow to Use Coffee Grounds for Plants in Your GardenCoffee contains a lot of micronutrients and is used as an organic fertilizer for plants. But you can not just pour it into the soil, it is necessary to know all the nuances of such fertilizer.
growthlifehacksguideJan 10 · 7 min readFull Guide on DIY Banana Peel Water for PlantsBanana water is an easy and effective way to give your plants low doses of nutrients throughout the year. Continue reading to learn how to make banana fertilizer from ingredients you already have!
careplant-namesfunApr 21 · 5 min readTop-Notch Lists of Cute Plant Names for Your Growing Green BabyA lot of people choose names for plants as they are pets and family members. We have some funny ideas to help you with the struggle of choosing.