If you’d like to create eye-catching and interesting displays in your garden, then the right exotic plants might be exactly what’s needed. In a temperate British climate, these plants can be more difficult to maintain than native ones. Therefore, you’ll want to prepare carefully, and provide these plants with the conditions they need to thrive.
Let’s consider how this problem can be tackled.
Choosing the Right Exotic Plants
You can make life much easier from the outset, by simply picking out a plant that suits your environment. Firstly, they should be a good fit for your local climate. If you’re based in the south, you might have a slightly easier time; if you’re in the Outer Hebrides, this might be a little more of a challenge.
Several exotic plants have become popular among UK-based gardeners. These include clumping bamboo, crimson bromeliads, and echiums. Each poses a slightly different challenge, but each is guaranteed to bring visual interest into the space.
Preparing Your Soil
Plants will find it difficult to thrive in soil that isn’t prepared correctly.
Your first step should be to test it and establish what kind of fertilizer is required to offset any acidity problems or nutrient deficits.
You’ll also need to ensure that the soil drains well, and that it’s appropriately fed with compost. You can make your own compost at home. Make sure that you turn it regularly.
Creating the Ideal Microclimate
You can address problems with your local climate with a few simple strategies. This might be particularly worthwhile if your garden is exposed to high winds. Windbreaks might protect plants from those winds, or you could move vulnerable plants to a sheltered part of the garden. Mulching can be vital, too, as it will protect soils from excess evaporation, and keep moisture levels consistent.
In addition, greenhouses and polytunnels are an efficient way of controlling the local temperature and moisture levels.
Watering and Feeding Exotic Plants
Exotic plants might require a different schedule for watering and feeding. You might seek to replicate the wet-season-dry-season tropical patterns of rainfall that these plants are accustomed to. Some fertilizers might be more effective than others. What matters is that you tailor your approach to the plant you’re cultivating, ensuring that they receive the specific nutrients they need for optimal growth.
Protecting Exotic Plants from Pests and Diseases
Exotic plants are vulnerable to different kinds of diseases. Caring for them adequately often means understanding the symptoms of these diseases, so that you can intervene quickly if a problem begins to show up. In some cases, you can care for an exotic plant without resorting to harsh chemical pesticides.
Integrated pest management strategies, such as introducing beneficial insects or using organic treatments, can be highly effective in maintaining the health of your exotic plants while minimising environmental impact.
