13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
Plants can droop in the middle of hot afternoons even if they don't need more water. A shrub that's several years old shouldn't need extra water at all. Check in the morning to see if it really is wilty. They grow fine here where it's that hot every summer. You're just lucky you get to call the heat "a wave!" Here, it's a season. LOL!
I haven't considered spider mites -- I'll have to check mine out and see if they are attacking them. With the dry, hot weather, I am seeing a TON of mites in the general landscape, on everything from weeds to trees. I've got about 40 butterfly bushes going now, so if mites like them I'm sure at least some of them will have them.
I don't know what is up with the multiple posts -- I posted a reply on one of these forums the other day and it showed up 5 times. Of course, if these forums had a decent user interface like many do, we would have the ability to edit, to delete, etc. Funny, iVillage is owned by NBC/Universal, a very large company, and they can't manage to upgrade their software past the level of about 1995/1996 when I first discovered the Internet. I guess it's because they're broke and no one watches their network anymore?
I'm going to suggest that you post also in the G*rden W*tchdog, an on-line reference on garden-related sources, so that gardeners who don't frequent one of the forums where you posted learn how pleased you are. Companies that stand by their products are more likely to get my money, and I always check there before I buy from a new source.
That is wonderful customer service! Glad you were able to get another scoot :0)
I've been ordering from them for probably close to 15 years now - have never had a problem that I recall. Agree they are a great company to do business with. Above suggestion to post on GWD a good idea.
Astilbe CAN'T handle lack of moisture. That's why I tossed the majority of them out, only a very few left on the nothern side of my house and protected from the winds. As soon as I find replacements for them, they are ALL GONE. (water is expensive here). One day of hot wind from the south and their leaves are brown and staying this way for the rest of the season.
Wow and I thought mine were suffering. Then again mine are under a pin oak tree and get water every 3 days. I did lose one in the first heatwave and now that we are on the second round.... Anyway, I would check the soil like Ken suggested. Are they getting morning or afternoon sun?
a day or two in the sun is not going to matter..
the smaller you brake them up.. the smaller the show next year..
in theory.. they never have to be lifted ...
i seem to think.. that after a bit of drying.. i simply replanted them ... i am not sure you need to mess with storage until fall.. hopefully someone will chime in..
if you want to store them.. store them in a mesh potato sack.. hung in the garage ... thought this year.. somewhere a bit cooler would probably be better ... think of them as an onion.. or garlic.. as far as storing them .... i would hesitate in a basement.. but i dont have a reason for that .... perhaps too humid and mold concerns ...
ken
Here is a link that might be useful: link
If they are ready to separate, they will fall apart. Don't break them apart. Either replant them right away or wait until the ground is chilled. Here in TN where the ground doesn't freeze solid I can plant just about any time through January. I hang the bulbs in net bags with a fan on them to keep them cool (relatively--they're in the garage) and dry.
Here is a link that might be useful: American Daffodil Society growing tips
Look around for tracks..my guess it is deer. We have good luck with Liquid Fence, and spray it every few days unless we see deer roaming. You do have to reapply after a rain. There is a lady that lives in a court behind us, she has the most beautiful flower gardens..hostas are the size of a tire on an 18 wheeler..absolutely breathtaking. She sprays with Liquid Fence every day she tells me and doesn't have anything eaten.
I am really enjoying this thread, but I need deer tolerant plants. I have heard that deer don't like the red KO roses, but I that sounds too good to be true. Can anyone tell me which of the fall bloomers to plant that deer will hate? I have Russian Sage, yarrow, and a newly planted dwarf butterfly bush.
Deer will browse just about anything, so there really aren't many safe options. Aconitums are highly poisonous, so those should be ok. They avoid Asters in my yard, too, and also Coreopsis tripteris, Eupatorium, and Salvias. Don't even try Japanese anemones-- deer chow down on them big time.
Well ken it sounds like Botrytis paeoniae. They will usually come back next year but in a weakened condition. Good sanitary practice, removing all foliage to the city dump every fall. I would spray the ground now after removing all the dead plant material, with Bordeaux mixture to try and prevent the disease living over to next year. Al
Calistoga; I had a couple of my peonies look horrible this spring/early summer. Bare stems or partial leaves. I wondered what in the world it was.. plants around them- roses- looked fine. Don't know too much about peony problems. We had Festiva Maxima, a pink, and a red one growing up and never any problems w/ them. Here, it is too hot for many, so I have only ordered those listed as "early". "Primavera" has done well for me so far. Any ideas as to what happened to my peonies? Peonies are one of my favorite flowers. Thanks, Brandy
Thanks for all the great ideas. What a good resource for beginning gardeners! It is helpful to have tags in place are you're learning to ID plants in & out of season. I've also written when I've divided the plant on the tag. Ideally record that in a notebook, but when in the garden with mucky gloves you just get the job done and a pencil in the pocket, tool belt, or tool bucket is handy.
Remember to be careful if raking or spreading mulch to not catch and remove the above ground tag.
Plus teach your young garden visitors to not touch & collect the tags.
Keep a few colored tags to mark a plant to move or divide later. Use sharp scissors to cut them from colored plastic containers.
Thank you for all your wonderful ideas - so creative! I didn't realize that the writing on the label if kept underground would be preserved pretty well. Might be what I'm going to try next for X marks the spot purposes. Also the digital pictures is a good idea for general reference but I think the markers in the ground when I'm staring at something wondering whether or not I put it there is key!
Thanks again,
Amna
Wow firespinner is really impressive!
I have Lavender Ice and another more dark purple one can't remember the name. Last year I didn't have a single bloom. Mine started out the same size as yours and this year the 6 plants I had in the ground created a carpet covering the entire ground stretching at least 8 feet long. They bloomed profusely this spring but then we had about 2 weeks of rain and have only had a handful of flowers show up here and there since then. Either way I love the way it creates a thick, interesting, groundcover. Really does prefer dry conditions though.
Give it some time and next year I am sure you will be very impressed.
Most helpful, thank you!
The Veronica genus pointed me in the right direction; I believe they are a cultivar of V. longifolia.
And it makes sense because armitage says they are used as a cutflower (I got them from a place that sells cut flowers).
Thanks again!
Veronica. Might be "Lavender Charm". I *loved* L.C. when I had it ;0)