In addition to the choice of plants, which is crucial in dry areas, their planting must be carried out in a very specific way. On the Mediterranean rim and more generally in the South of the country, drought can be as severe in summer as in winter. Let's see how to give plants the best chance of recovery by taking care of their planting.
Advice for planting in dry areas
Choose young plants, they will have a better capacity to adapt to the situation. Choose healthy plants with a well-developed root system. Avoid plants whose roots protrude from the pot or form a bun, as these are plants in pain and will have difficulty recovering.
Watering is still important for recovery in the months following planting. Create a basin of 60 cm in diameter at the foot of the plant and 20 cm high. Fill it to the brim at each watering. Be careful, in these particular areas, a winter drought is possible, be vigilant to ensure a good recovery. Water if it does not rain and water abundantly but only once a week the following summer so that the plants form deep roots which will enable it to resist the drought, because a plant watered too often and in small quantities forms only superficial roots.
Choosing the right planting time
In the southern regions, winter is rarely harsh. Except for some very fragile plants such as citrus, cacti, hibiscus or bougainvillea, the best time to plant is in autumn. Indeed, a plant installed in the ground in this season will benefit from the relative coolness of temperatures and more regular rainfall. It will have time to develop its root system before the heat and dryness of summer, unlike a plant installed in spring which will require even more watering in summer to ensure its recovery.
Choosing the right plants
This goes without saying, but many mistakes are still made when it comes to choosing drought-resistant plants. First of all, avoid all the plants you see thriving in northern gardens or in Great Britain, they need humidity and freshness!
Take inspiration from Nature, observe it and also note what grows well in neighboring gardens.
A good indicator of adaptation to heat and drought is the foliage; if it is narrow (rosemary), leathery (cork oak), hairy (phlomis), silver (Senecio cineraria, Italian immortelle, santolin...) or covered with whitish bloom, you are right!
As for trees, you can plant the Montpellier maple, the almond tree, the pear tree, the holm or cork oak, the pomegranate tree, the arbutus or the Judas tree.
Shrubs that are better adapted to drought, such as Cotinus, sauce laurel, ceanothe, caryopteris, pistachio, pittosporum, oleander or chaste tree, will form beautiful hedges or can be installed at the bottom of a bed.
Let's talk about beds! In dry areas, it is better to plant lavender, rosemary, perennial geraniums, creeping plumbago, acanthus, yarrow, rockrose, euphorbia, grasses, santolin... The choice is vast!
