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brit5467

Speedwell Georgia Blue groundcover question

brit5467
12 years ago

Already have this established in my raised bed for couple years now. Bed is long & rectangular and I staggered it along edge down both sides. It was planted before my Walker's Low Catmint had bloomed so when it did, it covered up the speedwell which was ok with me.

But...it did not come back around the catmint area last year or this year. I don't know if it just died or if the catmint overshadowed it and killed it. See, I can't be sure because it didn't survive in a couple other areas either. I bought it in little 3" pots so it may have just not been established enough to survive the winter.

I ask about the catmint "killing it" (blocking out sun) because I would like to plant it again to fill in on either side of catmint because right now it's just a big empty spot -- not very attractive.

So I guess my question is -- is there any point in planting the speedwell where the catmint will eventually cover? Can it survive summer and fall being covered up? I mean, by the time the catmint blooms, the speedwell will be done blooming.

Like I said, I want to put it up close to the edge so competing root systems won't be a problem. Just no sunlight.

I hope this is making sense. Here are two pics of my bed...last year with catmint in full bloom and this year where it's been cut back (white marker).

(BTW, the blue plants in foreground of catmint pic is NOT speedwell. It was another plant...just FYI.)

{{gwi:199090}}

{{gwi:27023}}

Comments (20)

  • tepelus
    12 years ago

    I would have to say that the catmint basically smothered it to death, and putting another one under it will garner the same results.

    Karen

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks Karen! Wow....as much as I've learned about gardening from this site over the past three or so years...."smother" is a word I never thought of. I guess that IS what happened. Thanks for saving me a few bucks. I'll put the new ones I bought in a happier place...lol.

    Bonnie (aka Brit5467)

  • Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
    12 years ago

    I have tons of it but it is all in sun and deosn't spread under surrounding shrubs.

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Beez..thanks!! Mine is about 2 yrs old or so and not very impressive, altho I can see how it DID spread on the surface and came up in surrounding areas and was great to have color so early. It just seems so 'delicate' to me, the way it does propogate.

    So will it eventually fill in, get more dense? I'd guestimate mine as 2 yrs old and it always looks very delicate, thready, long strands coming off it. The main plant is full of blooms but then it gets 'stringy' and no blooms until the end of the 'stringy' part...(right termology??)

    Ah ha !! Hairy looking !!! That's how I'd describe it. I know when I start messing around its growing area, I often disturb roots that have set very far away from original plant. I guess the word "delicate" comes to mind....???

    Any advice or comments are greatly appreciated !! :->

  • Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
    12 years ago

    It does need sun and will not bloom without it. I trim it back after blooming and that helps keep it thick. It makes a very pretty companion/covering to daffodils as they bloom at the same time.

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Great idea! Will look pretty. I'll stick the ones I bought around my daffys and not 'waste' them. Thanks !!

    And cutting them back after blooming...will that help with reblooming in fall, which I've read that they do? Mine never have.

  • NHBabs z4b-5a NH
    12 years ago

    I agree that yours probably got smothered, but the problem is not necessarily a lack of sun. My Veronica 'Georgia Blue' only gets at most a few (3 or 4) hours of sun. It's in a bed of mixed perennials and shrubs that has a bunch of tall pines and hemlocks about 15 feet to the SW. It weaves around the other plants including under a rose and a lilac, but requires that the other plants aren't lying on it; it won't grow under the hydrangea that branches out close to the ground and has large leaves. This started as one quart pot maybe 4 years ago.
    {{gwi:202703}}From May, 2011

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Oh wowwww !! That camint is AMAZING !! Does it spread like that since it has a wide open area? Mine was a 1 qt. pot too, and has gotten gigantic (divided it recently into 3rds & maybe will do 4ths) but since mine is contained in raised bed and about 4" down is hard clay, I guess that's why mine stayes in a mound.

    As far as the speedwell, where I want to put is IS underneath where catmint would lie on it, so guess not a good idea.

    But thanks for that great pic. I know nothing about it except how mine grows.

    Bonnie

  • NHBabs z4b-5a NH
    12 years ago

    My photo is speedwell (AKA Veronica) 'Georgia Blue', not catmint. The photo isn't a great one of the speedwell/Veronica since it makes the bloom look a bit sparse, but in full bloom it's hard to see the leaves.

    I'm pretty sure that catmint(AKA Nepeta) wouldn't grow in this mostly shaded situation since it requires full sun. My catmint doesn't crawl like this speedwell/Veronica, but stays in a large mound just like yours.

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Duhhh...I got the two confused..lol. Guess I had one too many cocktails last night on the porch, resting after a hard day in the garden :)

    So I can look forward to my Speedwell creeping that much, huh? Mine are so small now, so I'm excited !!

  • Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
    12 years ago

    Very nice, nhbabs! Mine hasn't done nearly as well in shade but it could be because the shady area I have it in is fairly dry.
    I put out two plants maybe 6 years ago and now they cover about an 8-10' area. I also rip out tons of it each year in that area to control it.
    I have some in a semi shady area that does bloom but it hasn't spread and isn't particularly thick.
    I hope yours does as well for you Brit, it's a great plant!

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Well, here I am...the OP.....two yrs later....with questions again...lol.

    Mine hasn't spread at all compared to the above posters comments. It come back each year but always looks a bit sparse. So what am I doing wrong?

    Does it spread underground or just on top of soil?ÃÂ Could it be that since I use pine bark nugget mulch that it has no soil to grab onto?ÃÂ Am planning to use pine straw this year.ÃÂ Will that make any difference?

    They get full sun from sunrise till mid-afternoon. I admit, I prolly haven't cut them back much since there's not much to prune. Fyi, everything else in bed grows great.

    PS - there's really no point in posting a pic. If u go back and look at my original post, 2nd pic, bottom left corner......that's how they looked 2 yrs ago and they look exactly the same size today. What's wrong?

    Thx!
    Bonnie

  • NHBabs z4b-5a NH
    9 years ago

    I posted the photo above. I have acid sandy loam soil supplemented with composted horse manure when the beds were created, and I mulch with wood shavings from the family wood shop which break down fairly quickly, so there is a lot of organic matter in the soil. While it doesn't get much if any supplemental water, between the mulch and the reduced amount of direct sun, this area doesn't usually get very dry. The plant does not grow where other plants will cover it, though it seems happy in part shade. I don't know how that compares to your growing conditions.

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    nhbabs....lol.....u were the once I replied to before....confused ur pic was LW catmint....(too many cocktails that nite....duhhh). But your pic was why I was so disappointed in my growth. Will have to study in depth what u wrote and give some thought and come back later. Thanx soooo much for ur help!!!

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    deleted duplicate post.....

    This post was edited by brit5467 on Sun, Apr 13, 14 at 15:16

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    9 years ago

    Babs, I am amazed at the spread of your 'Georgia Blue'. I have had mine for at least that long if not longer and it hasn't spread much at all. I have loamy clay and it gets maybe 4hrs of sun. I should try to move it and see if it does better somewhere else. I didn't even realize it could cover that well. If mine doesn't do much after moving it, maybe I should give mine to you. [g]

  • NHBabs z4b-5a NH
    9 years ago

    I liked it enough that I planted more last summer in a different bed with different soil, but also with part sun. I will have to see how it does there.

    I had some V. 'Waterperry Blue', a quite similar plant, a few years ago which did well until other plants crowded it too much, and then it just sort of dwindled away.

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Nhbabs....while I don't know what 'sandy loam' is (too lazy to google...lol)...I know I don't have it....hahaha. Mine are in raised bed so soil was purchased in bags a few years back. I supplement (amend?) it each year and feed the plants every now and then. And as I said, the other plants are real happy so I think the soil is fine.

    I'm beginning to think maybe because u don't get full sun, urs are happier. Mine get sun from sunrise until late afternoon. I also noticed my blooms are fading now (both in color and quantity). Is it time for that to happen? I didn't recall them blooming a long period of time.

    Did find some 3" pots of it @ Lowe's for only $2.28 (reg. price) so I grabbed a few more and hope they fare better...lol.

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Nhbabs....while I don't know what 'sandy loam' is (too lazy to google...lol)...I know I don't have it....hahaha. Mine are in raised bed so soil was purchased in bags a few years back. I supplement (amend?) it each year and feed the plants every now and then. And as I said, the other plants are real happy so I think the soil is fine.

    I'm beginning to think maybe because u don't get full sun, urs are happier. Mine get sun from sunrise until late afternoon. I also noticed my blooms are fading now (both in color and quantity). Is it time for that to happen? I didn't recall them blooming a long period of time.

    Did find some 3" pots of it @ Lowe's for only $2.28 (reg. price) so I grabbed a few more and hope they fare better...lol.

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    9 years ago

    Babs, I have 'Waterperry Blue' too, in full sun. And I haven't decided what I think of it yet. It's next to thyme and they get into each other and next to the lawn and some yarrow that is in my front lawn, gets into both of them. So I plan on moving it, but the Waterperry Blue does grow well in full sun.

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