Re: Plants that don't do too well for me

Hello Chris,
    I have been ordering all year long, getting the plants in, potting them up and
placing them in the holding area to sort out for fall planting. Also a lot of
stops at garden centers and trades with other collectors. Then, of course, there
is always a nursery very close to my garden;-)
    I don't have all the answers for your garden since I garden here in southern
Indiana, but I will take a shot at some of your problems.
    Polemonium spp. if you let this one dry out serially during summer it will go
ratty on you and look as though it is dead. Most often it will return when weather
cools down, rains return. The native here, P. reptans does this to compete with
the tree roots and local hot dry summers. Have to admit that the foliage generally
looks best during winter and early spring. Mine is growing in somewhat heavy clay
worked with organic matter. On an embankment and seeds down into the path running
beside the plants. Lots of bright light, but no full sun for very long.
    Begonia grandis is very dependable here and I have it in two locations. One
with Cimicifuga acerina, the other beneath a viburnum. Both location are very
heavy clay, but on a sharp bank. My garden is also on the north side of a hill.
They get chopped leaves each fall and that is it. Both locations supply my nursery
needs and still have plants enough for a goodly showing.
    Spigelia marilandica is slow, but easy... truly. One of the most beautiful and
showy of natives. Great foliage as well as fire-cracker red flowers. It will grow
in full sun or meadows in your neck of the woods with ample moisture. Mine is
beneath a redbud tree in heavy soil. Began as 4" pots many years ago. My
suggestion is simply to try one more time. Water in well when you transplant,
mulch about 2 inches think with chopped leaves, something similar.
    Eupatorium maculatum 'Chocolate'. Moisture is your answer on this one. I have
two in different locations here. One is pretty much full sun., but with reat soil.
The other is in shade with heavy clay. Second one out performs the first in size.
Watch for wilting foliage on these. Good indicators that your garden needs the
sprinkler to be turned on. Do cut the seed heads off or you will have colonies all
over the place.
    Gentiana septemfida needs organic soil, well drained and a bit on the dry
side. Also need about 6 hours sun a day, but does best on the east side of
something to stay out of the strongest part of the days light. Don't run out and
water ever time you water the rest of the garden. Perhaps a location with gravel
dug in and a gravel mulch between some nice large rocks.
    Anemone ranunculoides and Anemone nemerosa are located in European forest
floors growing among tree roots. Don't love them to death. I get a feeling you may
be planting them too deep? The roots of anemone nemorosa look like little twigs
with eyes. Plant no more than one inch deep, then mulch lightly. The roots will
eventually come back up to the surface as they grow into colonies. Simply mulch
over them. Fall planting works best on these.
    You paid dearly for the Ladyslipper, so perhaps you put more into
transplanting these than some of the others? A thought.
    Gene Bush     Southern Indiana    Zone 6a     Munchkin Nursery
          around the woods - around the world
genebush@otherside.com     http://www.munchkinnursery.com


----- Original Message -----
From: "Christopher P. Lindsey" <lindsey@mallorn.com>
Subject: Plants that don't do too well for me


> It's getting to be time for fall planting again, so I'm putting together
> my wishlists and getting my orders in.
>
> As I flip through the pages of catalogs, I keep seeing reminders of my
> garden failures.  I've tried these on many different occassions, so
> I'm hoping that someone here can tell me what I'm doing wrong.  :)
>
> I'm in zone 5b USDA, East Central Illinois.  We have hot, muggy summers
> (heat indices around 105-110) and cool winters.
>
>    Polemonium spp.
>
>    I've tried the straight species and several cultivars with no luck.
>    Locations have ranged from partial shade to full shade, well-drained
>    and dry to moist and watered.  No matter what I try, it doesn't seem
>    to make a difference.  Am I just not meant to grow this plant?  It
>    rarely lasts more than a year or two, and I've never seen flowers.
>
>    Begonia grandis
>
>    I've only tried this plant in two locations, both of which were
>    moderately dry with part-shade.  One plant died, but the other
>    came up late this spring and has one or two scrawny leaves.  Does
>    it need something else (well, probably, but what?)
>
>    Spigelia marilandica
>
>    This plant went into a part-shade, somewhat dry location and never
>    came up.
>
>    Eupatorium maculatum 'Chocolate'
>
>    Another runt.  Last year it did well in partial shade with average
>    moisture, but this year it's about 12" tall with only a single
>    stalk.  I suspect that it needs more water and shade.
>
>    Gentiana septemfida
>
>    I planted three plants in dry, well-drained beds ranging from full
>    sun to full shade.  The one in full shade died, but the other
>    two are tiny.  They're only about 6" long with a single flowerbud
>    on the end.
>
>    Anemone ranunculoides and Anemone nemerosa
>
>    It seems that I'm just not destined to grow these.  :)  I've tried
>    in moist clay, moist well-drained beds, and dry areas.  I rarely
>    get anything more than two or three leaves in spring, and then they
>    promptly wither away with the heat.  I'm not sure if they'll come
>    back next year or not.
>
> I'm sure that there are many others, but these spring to mind first.  Any
> suggestions?  Should I just give up?
>
> What I don't understand is that other plants like my Cypripedium
> (ladyslipper) are doing fine.  I seem to have more luck growing the
> difficult things.  :)
>
> Thanks,
>
> Chris
>
> http://www.hort.net/gallery/      1999 online plant photos and growing!
>
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