Re: Off Topic: Training a standard
- To: perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: Off Topic: Training a standard
- From: E*@aol.com
- Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 11:27:07 EDT
In a message dated 6/18/00 4:28:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time, jyang1@home.com
writes:
<< Does anybody know how to train a standard? The local nursery sells
heliotrope standards for $50 and up! I want to try my hand at training a
$3.99 heliotrope. Is heliotrope a tender shrub? I won't bother with this
project if it's herbaceous. >>
Now there is an interesting project. You might want to inquire from the
nursery if the species sold is the same as the one you want to work with.
More than one genus of blooming plants is called heliotrope. Then there is
the winter problem, the plant becomes a houseplant for the cold months.
I once grew a standard from a fancy leafed geranium. It took about three
years to achieve a great plant. Be sure you will still like your heliotrope
whilst carrying it in and out of the house each year. And, giving it the
best sunny locaation.
One of the funniest accounts of in and out of the house with saved summer
tropicals is in Henry Mitchell's second book. He relates the keeping of a
tropical water lily in a pail of mud in a bathroom upstairs. He has
negotiated the bathroom spot with great difficulty. He trips on the brand
new stair carpet on the way up and the marriage is in trouble. Mitchell's
two garden books plus a third published posthumously are great reading.
Claire Peplowski
East Nassau, NY z4
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