Zone 6a is one of the most temperate climates in the world, so what are the best plants for zone six? Fruit trees and shade-loving perennials are excellent choices for this zone. Perennial shrubs, meanwhile, take three to five years to produce fruit. And there are also several kinds of vegetables to consider. Read on to learn more about the best plants for zone sixa. Here are some ideas.
Perennials
Perennials are a great way to enjoy the beauty and bounty of nature in your garden from early spring to late fall. You can find countless varieties and colors, but which ones are the best perennials for zone 6a? This list contains perennials with incredible foliage, natural beauty, and the ability to attract pollinators and nectar-loving insects. Read on for a list of great plants for zone 6a gardens.
Bee Balm. This clump-forming perennial grows compact flowers that are around two inches across. The blooms attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Its heart-shaped, dark-green foliage is also attractive. This plant does well in moderately moist soil and is drought-resistant. It grows well in containers and can be planted in borders and flowerbeds. The flowers are beautiful all year round and are often accompanied by colorful foliage, including lavender.
Coral bells. These hardy perennials look their best when planted in masses, but can also be planted as a specimen. Coral bells are hardy, drought-tolerant, and deer resistant. They like a sunny location, but can tolerate some shade. They are also frost and drought-tolerant. It grows up to six feet tall. If you’d like to add color to your garden without the work of planting a perennial garden, this hardy plant is a great choice.
The best perennials for zone 6a are a mix of flowers that can thrive in shady areas. Choose perennials that bloom in varying intervals so that the colors are a seamless flow of color. Perennials are notoriously finicky when it comes to placement. Some need full sun to grow properly, while others can tolerate afternoon sun. Make sure that you research these plants before deciding on the best perennials for zone 6a gardening.
Perennial shrubs
Coral bells are one of the best perennial shrubs for Zone 6A, because of their long-lasting blooms. This shrub also has a beautiful floral fragrance and is low-maintenance. Coral bells can grow to 8 feet and tolerate shade, but need a moderate amount of water. Their foliage is soft, wrinkly, and green. Coral bells have clusters of yellow, orange, or red flowers. The flowers are edible and attract pollinators, and they are deer-resistant.
Shade-loving plants such as azaleas are great for shady areas, but be careful not to overwater them. Perennial plants need good drainage and water often, and they thrive in a shady area. These plants are cold-hardy, so you can use mulch around them in winter to protect them from extreme cold. This type of plant is native to Asia, and they bloom in early spring. After blooming, they go dormant for the summer and will come back the following spring. Shade-loving perennials are also excellent for planting under a tree or shrub.
A popular perennial shrub for Zone 6A is the abelia. The foliage changes color throughout the seasons, and its flower-bearing flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Some varieties are deciduous, and can be easily moved to a different location during winter. Cotoneaster ‘Coral Beauty’ is a beautiful cultivar with small glossy leaves that bear abundant coral red berries and mass-flowering creamy white flowers. This plant requires little care and is a great choice for a home garden.
Windflowers: A low-maintenance perennial, windflower is a beautiful flowering plant that grows to a height of three feet and a width of about three feet. Their flowers are fragrant and can last for three years, and they also rebloom. They are easy to grow and maintain, and are suitable for partial shade. And they’re deer-resistant, too. You can grow the windflower in the shade or in the sun.
Shade-loving perennials
You can’t go wrong with a selection of shade-loving perennials, especially when you live in zone sixa. With a wide range in flower color, plant height, and blooming period, you’re sure to find the perfect addition to your landscape. Shade perennials include favorites such as hosta, dicentra, and toad lilies as well as fresh new varieties.
Many of these plants are hardy and easy to grow in a wide variety of garden settings. Some are ideal for shadier areas, while others will grow happily in full sun. Shade-loving perennials are an excellent investment and can live for decades. Choose a variety that will bloom throughout the year to bring in more color. And remember that these plants are finicky about their location, so make sure you check the zone before you buy. Some require full sun, while others thrive in afternoon shade.
If you want a hardy shade-loving perennial, you can start by growing Ligularia. This plant has distinctive leaves and flowers in pink, purple, and white. The flowers are small and spiky, and the foliage is large enough to provide shelter from wind and rain. A great choice for a shade garden, Ligularia is hardy in zones five to nine and is a great deer-resistant plant.
Astilbe, a perennial native to the high mountains of Asia, is another choice for shade-loving perennials. It is a hardy plant and grows up to two feet tall. It produces delicate heart-shaped flowers and will tolerate part or full shade. It can be planted in flowerbeds, containers, and shady areas. In addition to being a good perennial for zone sixa gardens, it attracts butterflies and deer.
Vegetables
The growing season for zone 6 is a medium length and most vegetable varieties will reach maturity before the first frost date. The last frost date is May 1st and the first frost date is November 1st, although this can vary by a few weeks. The annual minimum temperature is -5 degrees Fahrenheit. To get the most out of your crops, consider planting in a specific planting order. The following information will help you determine when to plant your vegetables and when to harvest them.
The cooler temperatures in Zone 6b are the best time to plant lettuce, celery, carrots, and other vegetables. The cooler temperatures favor vegetables such as lettuce, brassicas, and salad greens. Root vegetables are also an excellent candidate for planting in September. For best results, start planting your vegetable seeds as soon as possible after determining your first frost date. After that, you’re all set! If you have seedlings already started indoors, you can transplant them into the garden during these months.
If you are unsure of what type of vegetables are best for Zone 6a, lettuce is the ideal choice. These cool-weather crops require low water and don’t need much maintenance. This vegetable grows well in containers, raised beds, and garden plots. For those looking for a more vertical gardening option, you can choose pole green beans. They’re especially helpful during the summer months, as they don’t need much water to grow.
Tomatoes are the most common vegetable in Zone 6a. They can be grown in window boxes and raised garden beds and tolerate poor soil conditions. Tomatoes are the most disease-prone vegetable, but heirloom varieties are less likely to suffer from these problems. Diseases that affect tomatoes include blight, fungus, and buckeye rot. Squash is a versatile vegetable and some varieties grow in both warmer and colder weather.
Hydrangeas
In addition to providing an excellent screen for a front porch, hydrangeas are also good choices for hedging. Their flower heads, known as panicles, are reminiscent of over-sized pompoms. During the summer, these flowers begin as white, and by the fall, they turn a vibrant pink. Once established, these plants will tolerate some drought. They also do not grow weedy.
In a sunny location, hydrangeas do best in loam soils. Loam soil contains more sand and silt than clay. These plants require well-drained soil with sufficient water-holding capacity. Some areas of Ohio, however, are covered with heavy clay soils, which drain slowly and can hold moisture. To improve these conditions, gardeners should amend clay soils with organic matter. Poor soil conditions can lower hydrangea vigor and make them susceptible to disease and winter injury.
When planting hydrangeas, remember to plant them before summer temperatures reach high levels. You can also plant hydrangeas in pots, but make sure you have adequate space for them. If you plan to plant hydrangeas in a garden, be sure to check the plant tags and make sure they are appropriate for your region. Hydrangeas require regular watering to thrive, so be sure to supply them with plenty of water.
Among the varieties available, the Bigleaf hydrangea is a popular choice. It features showy white flowers with purple-red foliage. The blooms are about ten inches across. The plant matures to be a foot or two tall. The leaves, on the other hand, turn a dark maroon-purple in fall. And if you’re looking for something a little smaller, consider planting a small variety called Oakleaf hydrangea.