13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials

I had it in zone 7. It died second winter.

I had it, but it was unforgivably floppy (even when sheared back after first bloom), and had to go.

Cannas are actually perennial tubers. If it has established there, it should be fine how it's been the past few years. Unless you have disturbed the soil level or significantly increased or decreased the amount of shade/sun exposure there.

When I was a kid, in south TX, that canna was referred to a Panamanian.
If I remember correctly it sets seed.

Kathy

It is not good for the roots of Delphiniums to stay too long in pots, especially being exposed to high temperatures.

I find fall planting to be ideal, but I do plant midsummer and then keep an eye on watering and provide some shade from a tomato cage covered with light fabric clothes-pinned on, a yard chair placed to give it south and west shade or anything else that will give it a bit of shelter while it settles in. Plants I have in pots at this time of year I try to place so that the pot is in shade in the hot parts of the day and I check their watering often.

The nice thing about fall planting is that the air is cooler, but the soil is still warm, which is good for root growth and lower stress on the plant. I mulch after planting to help keep moisture levels even and the soil warm as well as to help prevent frost heaving when there isn't snow.

A hollyhock grew in my garden this year that I never planted. I assume a bird brought it to me. I'd love to propogate it into more plants. From what I'm reading, I don't have to do much but scatter the seeds. Will I really get different colors from this one creamy white plant?
Jm

I have also wondered that... I always here that each year your Hollyhocks will multiply and turn into tons of different colors.

Yes, daylilies would suit your purpose. If they get weed-wacked a bit or even mowed once in a while, they will be fine. You could throw columbine seeds out there for earlier blooms. Zinnia seeds might be desirable. One or more milkweeds might do well for you. Heavy seeders are ones I would go for.

Whatever you consider, investigate its' tolerance to salt since this ditch probably gets salted from the street run-off - if your road gets plowed/salted.

I don't think scabiosa and sidalcea would like to have 'wet feet'

Around here they bloom until frost. Another long blooming (until frost) geranium is Dilys--this vines out like Rozeanne, but is very dense and really acts as a groundcover. Like Rozeanne, the stems do not root on the ground.

Would this be a good plant to trail down a small retaining wall in full sun? Its a long retaining wall so if something else would be better I'd appreciate your input. Can I split this after a season or two?

Full sun watered daily, M'gro potting soil, 10 x 10 x 4" rarely, if ever, dries out much. wood is western red cedar.

Let it get more dry between watering. Verbena doesn't like to be wet all the time.

Depending on how much sun the area gets, here are a few low-maintenance suggestions that might at least get you started:

- Carex 'Ice Dance'/Japanese sedge grass - variegated green/white
- Hosta 'Dream Weaver' - variegated blue-green/cream
- Aquilegia/Columbine 'Tower White'
- Alchemilla mollis/lady's mantle
- Heuchera/coral bells 'Snow Angel' - variegated green/white mottled foliage
- Hemerocallis/daylily 'Ice Carnival' or 'New Falling Stars'
- Brunnera macrophylla/Siberian bugloss 'Jack Frost'
- Hellebore/Lenten rose
- Persicaria virginiana/fleeceflower
- Dicentra eximia/fern leaf bleeding heart
- Lobelia siphilitica/great blue lobelia
- Weigela 'White Knight'

I have these plus many others growing on the mostly shaded north side of my house, among them blue hydrangea but there are white hydrangeas available as well.

Remember to plant evergreens. I don't know what is EV in your zone. Euonymous fortunei 'Emerald Gaiety' varigated green/white might brighten up that spot. It can be a groundcover or climb up a trellis, but it's very slow growing.

coated with some rooting powder

===>>> first off.. have you ever read the instructions... most indicate to DUST the piece ... and blow off all excess ... there can be a whole world of difference between a dusting and a coating ...

second .... TIMING is one of the more precise things associated with rooting material .... some plants require new fresh growth.. others older material .. and this would be the prime consideration of when your odds will increase ... it is not really a function of when you break a piece off.. rather than the right piece.. in the right season ...

then once you get past TIMING .... you have to master all these things:

media
humidity
light
sterilization
etc, ad nauseum

as noted.. humidity on a plant with no roots is probably the most important.. since it will have to adsorb all the water it can get while it starts growing roots to do the job ..

all that said.. i am excited by your enthusiasm .. and propagation is a very good way to increase the bounty of your garden ... but it goes way beyond breaking off some pieces and stabbing wildly at success... been there done that.. and suffered the odds you have ... lol ..

below is a picture of a little .. CHEAP.. setup for rooting things ... i sterilized everything with bleach or heat [including the media as soil holds too many negatives] .. in the proper season for conifers in this case .. made the proper cut.. dusted with rooting hormone.. and placed them on a heat mat under lights for 3 months ... 25% success rate ... in your case.. just put the tent in a bright but fully shaded area .. and see what happens ...

ken

Large soda bottles work well as mini greens houses. I cut the bottom off and set them over the potted cutting. If it starts getting too moist, I just tip the bottle to the side a tad.

I'll have to remove my montauk daisy plant and transplant it. When is the best time to take it out of the ground and transplat?

I'm thinking about starting with three plants in a seaside area with a fair amount of wind, not much rain[but lots of fog], intense Summer sun, sandy soil with rabbits and deer lurking in the wings. Any suggestions?

Well, folks, if you don't want plants to reseed, don't let them!!! Just cut them back before the seed is set. It's simple and it's what gardeners do! It's called tending your garden.

Basically I agree with laceyvail. But in cases like Polemonium caeruleum or Tradescantia it would be too much work. It would involve removing individual flowers, and I don't think they are worth the trouble.