Geums.......Help!!

[Auricula]

I have about half a dozen geum plants in a border. Some are in their 2nd year but most have been in for just over 3 years. They have never flowered until last week, when I got, ONE flower   from a Mrs something or other. The flower lasted a couple of days and now we're back to green mounds of foliage. Is this normal?? What am I doing wrong?? As soon as I'm able, they'll be consigned to the compost heap if no one can help me 

[Dutchy]

Hm, no it is not normal. Geum are easy plants in general.
But they do need some sun and they like a bit of moist feet mostly.
Never flowering is strange to say the least.
Green mounds of foliage says healthy though, are they shaded out by other plants?
Mine are in half shade by the paths and flower their socks off even the little rescued one at the allotment.
Both area's have clay soil which plays havoc with drainage but they seem happy despite that. Although the paths do create a bit of drainage. Geums do not like sandy soil either, too much drainage.
Loads of good compost makes them happy as that is moisture maintaining yet draining well.

They should flower but I can't think why yours refuse. Unless there is a big water gobbling neighbour?
If they are the rockery variety they do not like that at all.
Maybe you should plant them at the front where the competition is less vigorous. By the grass edge or the path.

If they still don't perform you can mow them together with the lawn as a punishment or stamp on them from the pathway.

Not much help I am afraid.

[Jilly]

I'm not going to be much help either Auricula as I have exactly the same problem with them, I put it down to my soil being too dry, which wouldn't be your problem. I dug mine up & gave it to my Mum & it's flowering it's little head of in her garden    . I bought another one as an experiment a couple of months ago & that's doing the same, so if it survives until my next visit, that one will be going up to Kent too.

[Jasmine]

I have them round the front edge of the hot bed and the ones that get the most sun flower the best Auricula.
Mrs Bradshaw, Tangerine Dream and Blazing Sunset flower earlier than Lady Strathden (sp) which has only just started. My new ones from Stephen Roff haven't flowered yet but they came bare root and the first lot of leaves didn't look good so I cut them off and they've basically started again. The geums that arrived as teeny weeny plug plants last summer aren't showing any signs of flowering yet.
I'm on heavy clay here so I guess mine are in damp earth.
They usually flower their socks off.

[Chuckles]

I love Geums but have never been able to grow them either, dry soil

Found this lovely site www.geumcollection.co.uk/geums.html

I do have a pale lemon one that I bought years and years ago from Geoff Hamletons garden centre, not sure what type of geum it is as label is long gone. Its been in several places in the garden and not done anything, but I do have one clump I managed to save and its in a pot kept constantly moist and its thriving.  Also got a peach coloured one that is a Rivale thats been planted in a shady spot that I keep moist, its not flowered yet though and I've got a few of the same one in pots just incase of disaster.

[Tig]

I've got Mrs Bradshaw in the front garden - baking hot, rubbish soil and very dry - she seems to like it there. Borisii on the other hand does best in damp part shade and richer soil round the back garden. My Lady Stratheden and Blazing Sunset have done well for 5 years in a hotter part of the back border, but this year they've both popped their clogs
I think you need to know which types you've got and find the 'right' places for them.

[Ladygardener]

I grow Lady Stratheden Blazing Sunset Mrs J Bradshaw and Cooky. I grow all but the Cooky in the middle of the borders where they can get support from the neighbouring plants as they grow. I've a couple of Cooky who only made lots of leaves this year and one of them has at last thrown up a spike. I think they can be a bit hit and miss, perhaps the Cooky at the edge of the borders don't get enough water. I do love them 'tho.

[Auricula]

Thank you all. Mine are in an "exclusive"border, with a wall edge between them ( they are at the front) and the hardy geranium bed behind. They get sun for about 2/3 of the day and the soil doesn't really get very dry.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who hasn't mastered them - I panicked when I saw Jasmine had told Fuchsia that they were easy and long flowering co mine have been neither I'll give them one more year I think would feeding help?

[Jasmine]

It can't not! I do a Growmore sprinkle of the beds in spring - well more of a fist full thrown about in random directions - seems to work!

[Jasmine]

Did you buy them as plugs or were they flowering when you bought them Auricula?

[Auricula]

Thanks Jasmine. I bought 2 as proper plants ( one with a flower) and 5 plugplants ( one of which pegged it). I'll chuck food pellets at them when I come off here

[Jasmine]

The plugs might just be coming up to flowering size in that case so don't despair on that front. One of my 6 plugs has a flower bud and that's it at the moment - can't even remember if they're Mrs B or Lady S! Time will tell!

[Tig]

Jilly,Jasmine,Ladygardener,
I noticed some discussion in the Geum gallery thread about conditions for growing these plants, thought it might be helpful to share tips on here.

Some may think that they don't do well in a dense planting, well you know my garden This border has hellebores, heucheras, ferns, phlox paniculata, rhododendron, deutzia, mahonia, clematis, spirea, tree peony, cimicifuga, calendula, iberis, pansies ... and geums

[Jasmine]

One thing's for sure rabbits, mice and other small furry things don't like them!!!
Some of mine are a bit dotted about and some are crammed in, some are in full sun and some are in quite a bit of shade. The shadier ones don't grow so quickly but still flower. I see no pattern here at all!

[Rosefriend]

I hate to say this but I haven't got one - I did have an orange whatever but got fed up of it not flowering so it went to the Geum heaven...I really will have to have a look around and see if I can see the odd one or two...

[Ladygardener]

You know Tig this is a great pic. You're right about them doing ok when they're in dense planting. Mine pretty much are as well although some will do well others don't. There does'nt seem to be a pattern as Jasmine says. Do you think they need a good bit of water?

[Tig]

I think it depends on which geum, or at least that is my experience LG. I have Mrs Bradshaw growing in full sun & drought conditions, this border is quite dry in summer & I have some growing in damp shade down the bottom (rivale in particular as it translates to 'water flower')

Thanks for the nom

[Ladygardener]

Thanks for the hint about Rivale, Tig Jenny bought me one when we were over with Ruth.

[Barbara]

I had Mrs Bradshaw for years but it kept flopping over and drove me mad so I gave it to my DiL. I saw one last week that has a tidy habit, I will be buying a few of, it's called Alabama slammer.

[Tig]

There is a photo of that one in the Geum gallery Barbara

gardenworld.proboards.com/thread/11062/geums?page=1&scrollTo=534735