13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
I could grow a lot of things in full sun without issues in my cool maritime climate that would need more shade elsewhere, but The Rocket will wilt in sun between hours of 11-4 no matter how much water its given....learned this when I lost a tree to a storm several years ago. It recovers evenings, but is a definite negative as far as interest to the bed during the day. Completely unattractive.
I think I will just add some soil, I have two of these, in 2 different locations, and neither one is doing very well. One is about 7 years old, the other about 2. I think maybe it's to cold for them here. Although I have seen some in other gardens here that look great......sigh
Kind of a tough call. If you leave them, they will continue to feed the bulb. But, my crinums here are such vigorous growers, I can't imagine that they wouldn't put out fresh new leaves promptly, especially if you gave them a little fertilizer at the same time. If you cut them back, you wouldn't have to look at the ratty leaves all season. I personally think you would be safe to do so, but you might want to cross post your question on the bulb forum to verify that they wouldn't go into a dormancy and not grow again this year.
Well, nicoleternity == here is the pic I promised so that you could compare to the 2nd one in my March 12th post(above)and see how fast it grew in just a couple months. This was from digging up and dividing the original one into thirds this spring (just to give you some idea on if you cut yours back now). We have been fortunate to have plenty of rain, tho, so that helped. Don't think I've had to water that bed but once or twice so far....cross fingers....lol
Terrene - Where did you find your "Junior Walker" catmint? I see it's a new introduction this year and I can't seem to find it locally. Has it bloomed heavily yet? I have a border where I'd love the look of Walker's Low but need something smaller. Junior seems like it would work very well ...if only I could find it!! :)
I haven't looked on Prairie Moon or Everwilde's websites in a while, but usually every time I look on either they are both out of purple milkweed seeds.
So I just checked to see their availability, and I wasn't disappointed (er, rather yes), they were both out.
Karen
I pull them up when they get ratty looking. As Ken said, they are free seeding. Yesterday I was remembering that my MIL had given me some Johnny-Jump-ups back when I was first married. More than 25 years and one move later, their decendents are still with us, seeds having hitch-hiked with a few of the plants I brought with me when we moved. Happily, they are easy to remove where I don't want them and they don't aggressively reseed in places like the lawn. I like them for blooming until hard freeze and during late winter thaws when nothing else is blooming most years.
I'm with nhbabs. JJU's are very welcome here - right now they're blooming with the forget-me-nots. I get them in every nook and cranny and in all the gardens. An unnecessary activity, but I do spread the seeds when pulling any out... however, they'd do just as good a job on their own.
If you cut them back to the ground, they regenerate quite quickly.
Most of mine are earlier than usual this year, but I have a couple that are just starting to poke through - this is the time they normally begin showing themselves. I would give it another approx. two weeks - if no signs of life by then, then I would replace.
BTW: Don't forget to pinch when a full set of leaves emerges. :0)
I think lamb's ear is a great plant - the silvery leaves really makes deep- or rich-colored flowers stand out, particularly deep purples (heliotrope next to lamb's ear is smashing!). I have "Helen von Stein" aka Big Ears - she does not flower (well, I take that back - I got one, at the most two, flowers in the past 13 years I've had her at this house), and the leaves are large. Super easy to grow in hot, dry, full sun locations. It does spread but I wouldn't consider it aggressive, and, like someone above mentioned, easy to control - just give a yank or cut off the runners with a spade/shovel.
I believe it is Clytostoma callistegioides, violet trumpet vine. It is pretty common up here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Care info here
Thanks all for the info. I think I may have oversooked. The seeds were harvested from Botainical seeds originally.
Have them trellesed over the deck slider and they were gorgeous. Waiting for them to dry on the vine was a messy and tortures thing!!
Have a few seeds left and will try the paper towel, plastic bag.
Wish I had Remy's advice on the smashing, as some were so dry I tossed them!!
As for the hollyhocks, did save seed and will plant them.
However, I have 2 elderly neighbors who have huge hollyhock patches that come back year after year, so go figure.
Thanks all, again
Once you plant hollyhock seeds two years in a row, you should have a self-seeding patch.
By lablab, I was assuming hyacinth bean vine. It's been so long since I grew them, I didn't feel like I had anything helpful to say... Next time I find some seeds, I will be ready to save any seeds my plants make (thanks to Remy!)
I have it in the south side of my house. I've had it for a few years now. It is growing with Yucca 'Bright Edge', Opuntia (cactus,) penstemon, sedum, sepervivum, etc. The one I planted in another spot, didn't last as long. So it definitely need a dry, full sun area.
It is listed to zone 5, but I looked on Dave's and the lowest zone report was from Ellsworth, WI which would be zone 4 so you never know. But it is a very cool looking plant to grow even if it ends up as an annual for you.
Remy
Oh wow, because this was a gift from a local master gardener, I never even looked at the zones! Good news is that he gave it to me last fall, it was planted into a temporary bed, and it came back this spring, although we did have an unusually warm winter. I just moved it to a new spot, more sun than most areas of my garden, with good drainage. I guess we will see what happens.
Thanks