How to Grow Perennials in the Afternoon Sun

Choose perennial plants that can handle the hot afternoon sun. Some perennials to consider include moonflowers, black-eyed Susans and geraniums. Before you plant any of these, be sure that they can handle the weather in your region and the type of soil in the area. Someone at your local garden center can direct you to other perennials that can take full sun and grow well in your region. Your local agricultural extension office can also supply you with information.

Use a spade to dig a hole for your plant and place it in the ground at the depth recommended for that particular plant. Some plants need to be placed deeper in the soil and farther apart from other seedlings than do others. For example, black-eyed Susans should be planted about 1/16-inch below the surface and about 2 pounds of seeds per acre. Giant moonflower seeds, however, should be sowed about 1 inch deep, with 3 inches between each seed.

Water the plants thoroughly after planting and add an all-purpose fertilizer. Use the fertilizer amounts as recommended on the label and be careful not to add too much. Select a fertilizer that is recommended for your particular type of plant, such as flowers or foliage plants. The label will indicate how often to add fertilizer to the plants. Some fertilizers only need to be added every other week while others require more frequent applications. Read the label carefully: over-fertilizing your plants can result in stunted growth and other problems.

Water your perennial plants regularly as the afternoon sun can cause the area to be much hotter and dryer than other parts of your yard. You may even need to water them daily during the warmest months of the year. Thoroughly water the entire root zone of the plant and let it dry out before you water it again. The water should soak the plants' roots. Water at any time of the day, but doing so in the evening is more efficient because the water will not evaporate as quickly.

Spread a layer of mulch over the plants during the winter season. For plants that bloom in the spring and summer and go dormant in the fall, you will need to do this before the first frost. Perennials that bloom in the fall and go dormant in the winter can wait a couple of months longer.