13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
I posted the information about Walkers Low catmint because the OP's first sentence said, "I have walkers low catmint that is in a large area in my back yard." If the reference had been to catmint, I would not have posted the information about WL being a sterile plant.
My own Walkers Low catmint were planted just this year so they have a year or two to prove they can remain within the confines of the area they were given. I shovel pruned Agastache 'Golden Jubilee' and monarda/bee balm that came with growing information stating a height of 28-36". When both grew three times as tall and wide as I'd been told to expect, they were removed from the premises with no return ticket. The remains were destroyed, not composted or recycled.
hi
you remove flowers immediately after the flowers fade .. so they will rebloom THE SAME YEAR .... it has nothing to do with next year ...
like peeps.. a plant has ONLY ONE goal in life.. procreation.. furthering of the gene pool.. they all make seed ...
the issue is which seed will winter over in your zone .. not many do in z5 ... as the native range of many of our perennials are much further south ... vermin.. birds.. etc ...
one of the biggest nightmare seeders in my garden was a mallow.. no clue which one.. by the third year.. i had about a billion of them.. and 5 years after killing them all.. i am still getting seedlings ..
daylily .. not only makes seed .. but multiplies by rhizome dividing... the rhizomes are the same flower .. seeds.. with genes and dna and all.. are useless.. in regard to the flower you have... they are snapped off as soon as the flowers fade.. unless you want to play with seed .. we would rather have the energy spent on divisions grown underground.. rather than the seed
good luck
ken
luvmyfish - you mentioned mostly perennials so it might be worth borrowing a book or two about them from your local library in addition to posting questions here. There are countless books available that will give you information on growing perennials, their habits and needs as well as their bloom season. I started keeping a garden diary when I got serious about perennial gardening and have added/referred to it many times over the past few years.
I leave seedpods on my plants intentionally so I can harvest seeds to winter sow. Winter sowing my own seeds is an economical way of expanding my garden beds with the healthiest plants at the lowest possible cost. Plus it gives me an excuse to have my hands in dirt right through the long cold months. In addition to harvesting seeds to winter sow, I also trade seeds via the Seed Exchange here on GardenWeb.
I think they are more tender in the north and can be difficult to overwinter. If you are not seeing them in Ottawa, I would guess that's an indication they don't grow well there.
I suspect the time they are planted also makes a difference to their survival. I am guessing that early is better than late.
Where I live, the shrub did not even break dormancy until late in June, so it did not show well in a well-travelled area. It never reseeded, which is very common south of where I live, though it did survive and did flower.
Eventually I removed it, because I just didn't think it paid for its space.
In this part of California, we have a lot of propagating nurseries who sell their product to everyone. The small retail nurseries as well as the big box outlets. In most cases the producing nursery has his label on the plants. There will be growers who produce a better plant than others, and a buyer can easily tell the difference. Except for specialty plants these growers all use a bark based mix. The advantage is the mix will last for several months, without collapsing. The disadvantage is that frequent watering will be required, as the mix is fast draining. A fast draining mix will also require either timed release fertilizer, or frequent liquid fertilization. As for myself, I buy my mix by the yard from the same landscape suppliers that mix for the commercial growers, and I buy the same mix for the same reason. My potting mix costs me $50 per yard and is only used for pots. Al
Real dirt, real fat and real sugar cost real money. So you have to pay more.
There is an immense difference in the mixes growers use for their plants.
Better mixes cost more money. Better mixes also grow better plants.
In this, as in everything else, you get what you pay for.
Another thing is that not every home depot carry really cheap compost. The stores here don't sell compost at 1.5 for 2 cf, it's like $2.69 for 25 lbs. I can't even get them to tell me what brand it is. The guy on the phone tells me it's Manure brand and mushroom brand...
Paul
I concur with paul on the HD. I just went to a different one than i usually go and their compost/manure is more $$. So i guess the one by me is selling it for less for some reason. It is still more product in comparison though.
You can always offer to buy the torn bags for cheap too. That has worked out nicely in the past too for compost and for mulch.
I can't say for certain but don't think Paul needs to worry about them reverting. I also grow double white balloon flowers and they come back reliably season after season, growing just 18-22" tall. Right now they're loaded with plump seed pods that I will harvest once they're ripe enough.
Let's face it, once this plant is done blooming it is no beauty.
I'd have to disagree, Kevin. While I fully agree that BH can and usually does look rather ratty by this time of year, the one at my folks' place looks good throughout the summer. Theirs must "like them" better than yours like you. LOL
If it's so water hogging, how are day lillies and sedium thriving there?
====>>> ESTABLISHED plants can compete with the tree.. and successfully deal with drought ...
your issue is how to get a recent planting.. or transplant to get ESTABLISHED .... which will take some time ...
also.. from experience .. its the feeder roots.. the thin ones.. that use the water.. and if you dig a hole thereby slicing all the roots .. and put a plant with improved soil in a hole .. and hand water only that hole.. i will give you one guess where the tree will grow new feeder roots ... and NEVER fertilize that hole ...
so.. if you can get it in there.. and get it ESTABLISHED ... many of the hardier plants will compete with the tree ..
this is why if you grow a plant to a large clump.. and then move it under a tree.. it has a better chance of succeeding.. rather than trying to get a bunch of babes to grow in there ...
ken
Agree with Ken on the "clump" transplant. . .learned after many failures
that smaller, immature plants will really struggle. Under my two birches,
established epimedium and ferns have thrived; when first planted as a whip,
one birch was underplanted with Vinca minor and has developed into a lush
carpet, accented by a golden Hosta "Sun Power". . a .young hosta didn't make
it, but a 2-gallon "SP" is thriving. Several Nandina domestica and a
Stephandra are successfully nestled under the other birch.
Carl
pull back the mulch ... add a layer of compost.. and garden fork it in.. breaking the surface.. and opening your soil ...
then remulch
this time of year.. you could pop out the plants.. rework the whole bed .. or a portion.. then replant the plants ... though a lot of work.. your rewards could be very high ...
ken
Thanks Terrene. Like you I also like to remove all of the growing material, be it peat, paper, burlap, etc. I've never had good results leaving it on and found that the plants often suffered over the winter with that junk left in place. Lots of companies have moved to plantable pot material but I'm seeing really difficult growth or even losses with them, so now I'm using the hose to blast off the paper plugs before planting and already am seeing better root and crown development. I can't imagine leaving a coir pot in the ground either.
I have ordered from them for years but the price increase alone caused me to stop!
The higher cost of gas -- and with it heating and electricity --has caused a marked increase in many things. Can't really fault them there. I've seen a lot of nurseries going out of business which is unfortunate.
I know, mxk3...it goes against the grain, doesn't it? There was a volunteer Crapemyrtle on this property when we bought it. Pretty color but without the genetic improvements of modern hybrids. It would develop PM as soon as the new leaves began to grow. All I had to do was hose it down every day until the foliage matured (3 or 4 weeks) and the issue was solved.
Nevermore...you need to treat this disorder early before it is able to completely infect the cells of the plant. It's too late to do much of anything at that point. Even Neem oil can only cure this disease in its earlier stages.
If this spot gets >6 hrs of sun, you have a lot of choices for color. I have something similar to yours in the front I started 3 years ago, moved /added/removed plants several times. It is really a personal preferenance. Finally I settled in something that is neater looking (so no tall shasta daisies, no cone flowers, etc), but anchored with long - blooming plants:
2-3 red or pink knock out (3-4 ft tall) or double knock out roses (shorter, ~3 ft tall). These can be the backbone as they can bloom from late May to end of Oct in your zone). If they are too tall, you can plant the drift roses (slightly shorter and smaller)
the good old Daylilly Stella D'oro, they have heavy blooms (organe -yellow) from early May, and lighter blooms in the summer and fall. Nice contrast to the roses (both foliage and blooms).
if you have good drainage, plant some tall garden phlox (david is my favorite), beautiful big white flowers, very fragrant. bloom mid summer to early fall. choose the medium height ones)
Sedum Autumn Joy. they will provide nice summer and fall color.
Salvia (May night, east friesland or royal crimson disctintion) depend your color choices. Royal crimson is my favorite, bloom constantly from mid June to Mid Sept, hot purple, neat leaves turn to dark purple in the fall, very beautiful.
You can use some ground covers or shorter plants for the border (or in between the tall plants): Dianthus fire witch, hot pink flowers from late May until late summer if dead headed), nice ever green foliage). Geranium rozane (purple blue), blooms the entire time. they can grow fairly quickly to fill up the space.
You can plant bulbs in between the spaces of the perennials and along the borders. I like the former. I found out for borders, the bulb foliage needs to stay there for a long time after they finish blooming, but without other plants to cover them up, they look very ugly. If I plant annuals there, sometime bulbls do not come back due to the heavy watering for the annuals.
The best thing I found is to get started with something, if you are not happy, modify it. There is never a perfect plan. and that is part of the fun.
Good luck and post some pictures next year.
Vivian
Post that view in 30 days or so. The fall colors must be spectacular!
As someone mentioned go for mounding, low growing plants. Mix in a just a few vertical accents. For example a dwarf conifers and grasses.