GARDEN CAPSULE
The challenge: You lost a tree and now your hostas and other woodland plants are burning up in full sun.
The solution: For temporary shade, plant seeds of tall annuals such as castor bean, Mexican sunflower (Tithonia) or sunflower. In the meantime don’t neglect watering when the weather is dry; some shade-garden plants will tolerate sunlight in moist soil. Move the most vulnerable plants to a shady spot, if available. Plant a replacement tree as soon as possible.
Pluses: Tall annuals are a lot prettier than using a drape of shade cloth for temporary protection. Mexican sunflowers are a magnet for butterflies. Birds are attracted to ripening sunflower seeds. Tall varieties of castor beans resemble an exotic tropical tree with huge leaves.
Minuses: You won’t have shade until the annuals have some time to grow. You’ll need to replant annuals every year until a replacement tree grows big enough to provide shade.
Check seed packages for the height of each variety; some are much taller than others. Transplants of tall annuals are not as readily available to buy as smaller annuals, because tall ones outgrow their pots too quickly to be practical for retailers. Castor bean seeds are toxic to humans and pets. Sunflower plants produce a substance that is toxic to some kinds of plants growing in the immediate vicinity.
Sources: You can find seeds of some tall annuals on most retail seed racks. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (417/924-8917, rareseeds.com) and Select Seeds (800/684-0395, selectseeds.com) offer a bigger selection.