Re: Re: CULT: SPU: HELP!!!

Chuck writes:

>Here in GUELPH, Ontario, Zone 4/5, the spuria are never dormant. <snip> I
> Right now the foliage is about 2 feet tall
>and no sign of buds. They should bloom about third week in July,
>judging by current weather conditions (TB season just getting into
>gear).

Well, no wonder.  They don't have time to go dormant!  This is probably a
really good example of how different growing conditions cause seemingly
different behavior in plant habits.  My spuria finished blooming in May.
They are not dormant yet, but there is no longer any active growth.  Our
usual summer heat is just beginning to settle in and rainfall is likely come
in brief spells separated by weeks, not days.  By the time mid-September is
here, they will have existed under dry, hot conditions for a good while.
Those conditions are actually late this year, or dormancy symptoms would be
more evident than they are currently.  Dormancy has been delayed by cool
weather (for us) and some rains on a regular basis.  Evident in the
arilbreds as well (I do have a string of these planted by the spurias where
the two seem to exist quite amicably together).  The arilbreds tend to go
dormant first, followed shortly by the spurias.  But that may be because
they bloom so much earlier (March/early April) than the spurias and get
ready to rest sooner.  But as Chuck says, survival has been good.  I've only
had one not return after planting.  Their growth has not been rapid, but
they do return every year as bigger clumps.  They might make clumps faster
if I provided supplemental water during and after bloom for a while - and if
I could keep the grasshoppers from cutting them down to 4-6 inch heights
prior to the dormant stage.  But those are environmental conditions specific
to me that I haven't overcome.  Based on what I've seen so far, they appear
to be tough and durable plants for the long haul.

Donald Eaves
donald@eastland.net
Texas Zone 7b, USA



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