Re: Found it alive.......
- Subject: Re: Found it alive.......
- From: M*@aol.com
- Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 07:23:42 EST
In a message dated 3/26/2002 12:10:16 AM Central Standard Time,
mtalt@hort.net writes:
> That said, discovered one bit of my
> old, old plant that I thought I'd lost still alive today, which made
> me quite happy:-)
>
Marge: I bought a beautiful Pavonia last year.....the blooms were larger
than the common pink and they were a deep red/maroon color - almost black in
the center.
Yesterday, (before a blast of cold air moved through here) I was weeding the
area and found that the base of the plant, just at the soil line, is still
alive. I was so thrilled.
The plant was a recent planting when the cold hit, well, about 3 months in
the ground. I wasn't sure if it had had the time to really settled in when
we had long term 18 degrees move in on us on January 1st. The plant survived
that winter blast wonderfully......having the bottom 12" stay green.
February brought us beautiful, mild, spring like temps - really just perfect
weather with a little rain every weekend. Everything in the garden was
coming alive, even Tropical Hibiscus were leafing out. Canna's were up 12"
(or so) and the Duranta's were covered in green foliage.
Last February brought us two back to back Arctic fronts......this took the
garden down for a second time. We actually stayed at freezing (and below)
for nearly 24 hours. When such cold air comes after the plant has been fooled
into thinking it was spring the losses are usually significant. The Pavonia
was taken, I thought, completely.
I've only noticed a few losses so far this year.....the garden has bounced
back from the last freeze with vigor, actually already exceeding the growth
that was put on during the month of February. There are some plants that are
"iffy" on recovering - there is a lot of dead surrounding just a small amount
of green. If we can keep the spring rains to "short and sweet" I think they
just might have a fighting chance. If we have rain for 3 days in a row,
(never stopping) like last year, these struggling plants won't have a chance.
I've already had one Iris' bloom, and currently in bloom are my purple
(common as dirt but love it) Phlox, Freesia's and Verbena. I have a Nun's
Orchid in full spike --- this is always a nice spring opener.
Today is cold along the Gulf Coast......I don't think there will be much
spring cleaning accomplished on this day. Time to read up on some of the
plants I plan to purchase this year.
Kemberly McLain
Katy, Texas Zone 9
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
