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| 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.)
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Follow-Up Postings:
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| 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 |
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| 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) |
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- Posted by Bumblebeez z7b Seneca SC (My Page) on Mon, Mar 26, 12 at 22:56
| I have tons of it but it is all in sun and deosn't spread under surrounding shrubs. |
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| 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 !! :-> |
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- Posted by Bumblebeez z7b Seneca SC (My Page) on Tue, Mar 27, 12 at 20:15
| 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. |
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| 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. |
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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.
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| 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 |
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| 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. |
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| 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 !! |
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- Posted by Bumblebeez z7b Seneca SC (My Page) on Thu, Mar 29, 12 at 17:26
| 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! |
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