13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
My sedums 'Frosty Morn' had been always leggy , floppy and ugly towards the middle of the summer. I was almost ready to get rid of it completely when I read an advice on gardenweb about cutting it back by 1/3 in June to make plants bushy, short and non-floppy. I tried it this year and I love the result. I will definitely try this trick next year with other sedums like Neon and Autumn Joy. Same with New England asters.
Here are 3 of my sedums 'Frosty Morn' now - full, short and attractive
This post was edited by green_go on Mon, Sep 15, 14 at 19:41
Thank you all, for your continued kind words. Campanula, yes, exactly. Setting the garden (and home) within the larger context is always the tricky thing, right? Like, on one hand you want to have your way over the landscape, to tame it and mold it into more of what you like. But on the other hand, the cues really need to come from what's already around you otherwise it's either going to be a ton or work to fight nature, and/or it won't even look right when you're done. So the rock theme really plays well here.
GreenHearted, that's a great question. I have done the foundation differently on different stone projects here. I'm not an expert on this, but none of my walls have fallen down yet! (With the older ones being over 10 years old.) You are quite right, a dry-stacked wall is an inherently flexible structure and is very forgiving of expansion and contraction of the ground.
On this wall, I dug/scraped down to the subsoil layer, which is a very compacted, concrete-like substance. I didn't put down gravel or anything, mostly because the very idea of that pushed the project into the realm of unrealistic for my diy self.
Stonework does have a tendency to slowly sink into the ground. Rocks that used to be standing above grade are now below the level of the grass. I'm not sure how much a gravel foundation would help that. One of my walls has a gravel foundation and it hasn't behaved any differently than the others as far as I can tell.
Not sure if that answer helps or not! :)
That helps a lot, thank you Karin!
It gives me hope that I will be able to replicate this one day. I love the flush ledge around the wall too... you can probably get a wheel of the mower on it and not have to line trim.
The cinder block base for the steps is another great idea!
I have had a half dozen of these for five or six years. In my garden of many pines and high, bright shade they have grown slowly. In fact, they were moved to a sunnier spot in year two and have done better. In my experience they have produced more rebloom each year and are quite lovely at the moment.
Since these were an impulse purchase by my husband and since I prefer the big-blooming "pride of Mobile" varieties that
are blooming machines in the spring, I have considered taking them out; however, these have not required pruning to keep them tidy (as the large varieties do).
This post was edited by sweet_betsy on Sun, Sep 14, 14 at 7:17
arbo_return.I haven't had the pleasure of ordering from either place..
dbarron. I noticed Jung seed has quite a selection of named Hellebore cv.'s. It's my understanding, you've got to be nearly a pro, to attempt starting those by seeds.
I think, much of what I may be wanting to purchase now, is not available until the spring, but is probably better for fall planting, in my area, in autumn.
Usually having a typically short spring growing season here, with rather mild winters. With the rare exception of this past one, which didn't help matters, of new plantings, as last winter so cold, it was horribly destructive with some plants freezing solid, or heaving nearly entirely. I had never seen such things as foxglove or Penstemon seedlings turn brown & die, so quickly.
Many plants thrive by being chewed up by animals. I believe that butterfly bushes, and maybe forsythia, benefit from being cut down every year. I had butterfly bushes many years back and never pruned them. I think that is why they died out.
I planted more in the same place and learned that they want to be chopped back and I have been successful with them ever since.
Even if deer don't eat these plants, other animals do and it works for me.
My weather conditions are different but I've moved perennials by digging them and then packing them side by side in shallow crates or boxes. They won't be growing over winter so roots don't tangle. Much quicker than potting them individually, quicker and easier to move and there's a greater volume of earth to even out the temperature. Then I'd treat as SunnyBorders suggests for pots.
Useful suggestion, Floral.
I use pots.
(1) for labelling purposes
(2) weight considerations
(3) because I give most of the plants away
(4) (just me!) I get rid of excess soil that way.
Think it's still reasonable weed-free
(and invasive spring bulb-free) garden
soil, but am always upgrading our soil as I
divide and replant through the growing
season.
They say "a pearl is not had for the asking".
I have to admit, Floral, that there's more (likely yours) and there's less (mine) efficient ways to obtain one.
I hope I don't confuse you, summerstar. Just because the tag did not mention that one or both of your irises is a rebloomer does not mean anything.
German seems to be just another name for a "bearded" iris.
I just did a little on line research for you. BOTH of your irises are Intermediate Bearded Irises meaning that they are shorter then the Tall Bearded Irises. They should top out at about 20 to 22 inches tall. In the spring, they may also bloom a bit earlier than their taller cousins and after the dwarf varieties. I grow all three kinds.
Halston is listed as a rebloomer so you should see it rebloom in the fall if the growing conditions are right. I don't think the weather has much to do with it, only that Halston has the genes to rebloom and has produced enough growth to rebloom.
Strawberry Love is not a reblooming iris.
Hope this is some help to you,
Linda
They are in their 4th year. Thanks for the information! I like their size and look and smell, and they are my biggest bee attractor. I will look for more; however, do you have suggestions for a similar plant in relation to the previous information? Part to full sun, clayish soil.
Hi Adidas yes I have collected pods when the seeds were not fully brown and they have browned up during the drying process. But generally it's best not to open the pod while it's drying, so it's hard to tell the condition of the seeds sometimes!
As for your A. exaltata, the purple color is probably normal. Some of my A syriaca seedpods are purplish (pretty). The pods that are lowest on the plant should be most mature. If you notice a fading of the green coloration, I would go ahead and collect a few. Then I dry out between several days and 2 weeks and test them daily by squeezing them gently. They will start to pop open when they're ready.
As for the milkweed beetles, they will nibble on the pods, so when I'm checking the plants I'm not very nice and squish the beetles!
shadyplace - monarchs go mad over heptacodium here! 2010 was our best monarch year so these are pictures from late September 2010 that I've posted here before...
We are on the migration route for the monarchs. So far, there haven't been many around but I'm hoping the report from southamptonite might mean there will be a good show this year!
we have had 2 heptacodiums for many years, since they were brought back from China by the Arnold Arboretum here in Boston, and first deceminated by them to their members fifteen or 20 yrs ago. I have never seen Monarchs on them. Darn!! Ours have recently begun their annual bloom and they do reliably get their pink calyxes here, which is the only real reason that I grow that tree (shreddy bark is neat too.)
I have been there - weak with greed and lust. boundless gratitude and massive thanks.
I hope for a safe arrival.