High Altitude Gardening

20 years ago

I'm not exactly sure where to put my request---perhaps someone would be kind enough to direct me? I live at an altitude of 5500 ft. in North Carolina. We are on a mountain ridge with HIGH winds--40 to 100mph, cool temps,(doesn't get above 75 in the summer, and many days are in the clouds! The county extension guy said we are from a zone 2 to 4---sort of depends on how you hold your mouth. We have a veggie garden, mostly cold loving things--forget tomatoes--and hostas grow to the size of tires! The cool temps cause flowers to become HUGE. I need help finding Alpine type flowers that would be happy here. I'm sick of hostas, coneflowers, daylillies, and creeping juniper. We want unique and exciting flowers and shrubs. Our Property is wooded with areas of both shade and sun. We need help to make it a beautiful "treasure in mountains."

Comments (5)

LoverOfFlowers
20 years ago
Here's another site w/ pics that might be of help.
Sandi

Here is a link that might be useful: Lower Zones Plants
LeeAnna
20 years ago
Check out High Country Gardens. They have a great selection of plants that would suit your area. I've only ordered from them once, but was vary happy with my plants. Be warned - they're small when they arrive. They'll grow fast, though.

Lee Anna

Here is a link that might be useful: High Country Gardens
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Jwj__
20 years ago
Hi gladness
I am a little lower then you over in northwest Montana,, but umm can make a few suggestions,,High country is a great source however like me you have to check those zones pretty closely since alot of their plants are geared at the southwestern part of the rockies, which can be all the way to a zone 7-8,, a far cry from us,,LOL,,
I suggest you post over at the rocky mountain forums where there are quite a few of us with the wacky climate you have,and various altitudes,
yes you can have tomatoes over there you just have to pick the right types,, go with something that has a very short growing season or is grown in a container,,the siberian types or even ones like Fourth of July ,, I have maters that produce in as little as 50 days,,
You can add alot of unique plants to your area it is seriously just a matter of researching them out,, personally I pick alot of my plants with foliage in mind as well as shape to get something differnt,, these stand out in my more common plants which if planted in large color drifts look great,,
jwj
Istanbuljoy
20 years ago
Tomatoes? At 6,000 plus we have tomatoes. Our growing season is short and the night time temps do not get up to 54 degrees until the last weekend in May (wheh we also can have a late snowstorm). Early Girls are the recommended type for here as they mature quicker. How ever, if you have a freeze with the green tomatoes on the plant, just pull the plant and hang it upside down in the garage and they will all ripen in time.
dmackenzieco_earthlink_net
17 years ago
I have a great Tomato plant with about twenty green, small to medium size fruit on the vine. Our nights (at around 6250') are getting down into the mid-40's and the plant seems to be slowing down. Should I wait it out and go 'til the 1st frost, or cut my losses now and pull the plant and hang it to ripen the remaining fruit? I have trimmed back all the extra growth that had no Tomatoes or flowers. Should I be clipping all future flowers from here on out? How long can I push the seasonal envelope? Any help would be appreciated as I am new to this.