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Post by Dutchy on Nov 22, 2006 15:55:06 GMT
;D ;D ;D  |
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Post by JennyWrenn on Nov 23, 2006 7:42:10 GMT
I have been toying with the idea of getting a buddleia for a while now and think now is the right time to plant  But reading from these posts it may thrive anywhere at anytime I pass one each day growing in waste ground which is hard gravel I like them because they attract butterflies jenny wrenn |
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Post by Rosefriend on Nov 23, 2006 7:51:53 GMT
Hi jenny wrenn
I do happen to like Buddleia's and some of the new davidii sorts are lovely, - however if you have read this thread then please buy one in your area and not on this side of the water - they are not very happy here.
Infact if what I have read is true then you don't need to feed it, water it or anything - they just grow......and reach monster proportions - unlike ours that have to be fed, watered, talked to and generally wrapped in cotton wool.................
Rosefriend
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Post by JennyWrenn on Nov 23, 2006 7:58:58 GMT
Reach monster proportions - wow that is good news - want a big plant for my top border
Will go out and get one on Friday - do you think it will be bare rooted - any advice
How big do they grow per year?
jenny
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Post by Rosefriend on Nov 23, 2006 8:10:49 GMT
Hi jenny wrenn
Well I am hoping that someone else answers this as well, because as I say what I have to do here to get them to grow is different than in the UK.
At this time of the year I would buy a bare rooted one - they are certainly cheaper. I am also assuming that it will not have to be cut back until the end of next year. I would also plant it with a slow releasing fertilizer.
Rosefriend
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Post by oldmoleskins on Nov 23, 2006 9:30:58 GMT
JW the davidii ones will go to about 10/12 feet - is that monster enough for you?
And as to when, well bare-root if available should go in now, but more likely you'll buy container grown (or containersised) ones which as you say can go in anytime - but now would be good for them too.
They flower on new wood - so don't prune after Spring to make best use of flowering prospects, but cut back hard once established (and after flowering) to shape and keep under control.
Enjoy the butterflies!
OM.
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Post by sleepysunday on Nov 23, 2006 9:47:40 GMT
The wild ones are a pinky/purpluly/lilac colur. Cultivated varieties have much more interesting colours. My favourite is Black Knight which is a very rich, dark purple.  Black Knight  A new bi-colour variety called Buddleia x weyeriana  Harlequin has variagated foliage. There is a white harlequin variety too I believe.  And also consider Globosa and  Alternifolia (the cascade of flowers is breathtaking)  This is an interesting variety called Buddleia d. 'Silver Anniversary' I would recommend avoiding the white varieties as they look tatty when the flowers die and go brown. And if you can bear to try leaving the dead flowers on the plant as many small birds enyoy the seeds in early autumn. Hope this helps |
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Post by Chuckles on Nov 23, 2006 10:38:53 GMT
Well as I don't want to give up on this - is there anyone else that can show me these monsters please - pics please? Rosefriend Have just chopped my monster down and just left the trunk at about 3', never chopped it this low before, but I'm sure it will survive. These photos were taken this year when the Buddleia its self stood about 10ft plus it had monster flowers on it. If you look at the close ups I took, the butterfly wing span, tip to tip is approx 6cm and the length and width of the flowers were about 9cm at widest and 35cm long. Is that monster enough for you ;D   |
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Post by Rosefriend on Nov 23, 2006 13:25:47 GMT
Well SS I have Black Knight and a Pink one - can never remember its name though - Pink Delight or Royal Red - just not sure. Black Knight really is beautiful. So BB - I don't believe it - the size of the flowers for a start - no matter how hard I cut back, or feed, I never get the flowers to be that size. As I didn't know that I would need a photo I haven't got one that is very good but managed to find this one from this year. As you will see my flowers are just that little bit smaller........  infact there is a lot of difference altogether isn't there. Rosefriend |
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Post by sleepysunday on Nov 23, 2006 14:21:48 GMT
Like elder, buddliea prefers neglect. It actually prefers poor soil conditions. I wouldn't feed it, and make sure that you prune it hard in the early spring.
Kind of a 'woman' plant. Treat it mean to keep it keen.
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Post by piggingardener on Nov 23, 2006 14:41:56 GMT
Like elder, buddliea prefers neglect. It actually prefers poor soil conditions. I wouldn't feed it, and make sure that you prune it hard in the early spring. Kind of a 'woman' plant. Treat it mean to keep it keen. Oh dear Sleepy, I think you may be heading for the naughty shed!!  |
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Post by sleepysunday on Nov 23, 2006 15:01:47 GMT
I reckon that's my home from home. Don't you? ;D
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Post by Chuckles on Nov 23, 2006 15:09:32 GMT
 you are wicked sleepy Yours looks fine to me RF. Mine had the biggest flowers I've ever seen this year, it always flowers well but this year exceptional, they hung like bunches of grapes. And as you can see the butterfly is proof of the size. SS is right about them preferring neglect and poor soil, mine is growing on the edge of a bank that drops suddenly by 4-5' and it is very poor dry stoney ground, it shares any goodness or moisture with a Piracantha, Lilac, Hypericum and a Privet. We are quite high up so I normally prune 1/3rd now to stop wind breakage and then hard in spring and no food at all. Our local GC was selling shrubs off a while back buy one get one free and I bought Royal Red, it's lovely and they are now in pots so I can have them near the house when they are in flower again next year.
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Post by JennyWrenn on Nov 23, 2006 18:15:02 GMT
Blinkin' eck I thought Buddleia was Buddleia didnt know there were so many different type - thanks so much for this think will go for the biggest - size matters in my garden  |
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Post by Chuckles on Nov 23, 2006 18:32:35 GMT
I like the look of the Alternifolia for the gdn, and the Silver Anniversary looks good too maybe nice in a pot, might have to look out for them. ;D
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Post by JennyWrenn on Nov 23, 2006 19:31:50 GMT
What is the name of Your Monster B Bee I like the look of the flowers Dont want to buy the wrong one |
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Post by Chuckles on Nov 23, 2006 20:30:25 GMT
What is the name of Your Monster B Bee I like the look of the flowers Dont want to buy the wrong one Sorry Jenny not got a clue, it's been in the gdn a fare few years now probably 15yrs and it was a cutting too. I haven't always pruned mine hard, some years it's just had a tidy up to stop wind damage. If you check the height when you buy you should be ok and prune 1/3rd around Sept/Oct then hard in spring you should be ok. Let us know what you buy |
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Post by JennyWrenn on Nov 23, 2006 20:34:24 GMT
OK thank you I will - what fun - have to go to the Nursery at the weekend think will bypass my local Garden Centre
Has been taken over and almost 100% mark up on most of the plants
Shame really as I bought quite a lot of plants there but I wont pay silly prices at any cost
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Post by Chuckles on Nov 23, 2006 20:44:39 GMT
Have fun tomorrow Jenny, I'm envious.
Think I will have to think again about Silver Anniversary, I was thinking of one in a pot but after looking it up it reaches 9 to 10 feet high and about 5 to 7 feet wide even though it says give it an annual hard prune to 6 inches above the ground. Sounds like another monster in the making to me ;D
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Post by Rosefriend on Nov 23, 2006 21:04:11 GMT
Must admit BB I was thinking along the same lines as you - Silver Anniversary in a pot - I don't somehow think it would work.
The roots would be too much I think even if it was pruned very hard. I read Zone 7 so it should survive here but as I have lost a few anyway, I don't think it is worth trying.
Rosefriend
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Post by Chuckles on Nov 23, 2006 21:50:04 GMT
I'm really dissapointed Rosefriend. Looking at the pics of it on this site it looks small enough to grow in a pot. www.planthaven.com/buddsilv.htmlHowever other sites say it grows 4'-5' a year and reaches 9'-10' another says 2m - 3m  |
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Post by Rosefriend on Nov 24, 2006 7:33:07 GMT
I know what you mean BB - I am wondering if we could keep it in a rather large pot and every 2 years, reduce the roots as well. It says that it prefers to be pruned back very hard, - well if the roots were pruned as well - it could just be possible to keep it in a pot.
It all depends of how expensive the plants are - I don't mind experimenting if the plant isn't going to cost an arm and a leg. However I have to admit I have never seen the plant here as yet.
The alternifolia however would be OK for a while in a pot - I only lost mine because of a very bad winter - I think anyway.........
Rosefriend
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Post by Chuckles on Nov 24, 2006 22:08:51 GMT
I like the look of the Alternifolia too Rosefriend. Think I will look out for both next year. I really liked the thought of Silver Anniversary in a pot and think like you it might be worth a go. Have seen it on www.duchyofcornwallnursery.co.uk/plantshop_list.asp?_page=2&ptid=19&sL=B for £6.50 but think that maybe expensive and guess it may be cheaper elsewhere. I think I saw on one site that it was introduced in 2005. |
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Post by 4pygmies on Nov 25, 2006 7:26:02 GMT
I have quite a few Buddleja's in my garden dotted about. It's pretty cold here in Winter - flat Norfolk, wind blowing straight across from the Arctic - feels like anyway. Quite often -10 in January/February but my Buddlejas always survive. I have a Globosa which was a cutting given me by a friend which is growing well after a slow start. My friend's is an enormous tree now which she hacks back every so often. I can't understand why you are having such problems with them!. think p'raps Sleepy's right and you are just being to nice to it! Stick it somewhere with the poorest, grittiest soil you can find, prune it hard after flowering, hurl a few insults at it whenever you pass it and p'raps it will surprise you! Hope so anyway as they are such good plants generally. Actually, just had a thought - maybe you could cut a twig off your main plant in Spring and stick it in your chosen spot and let it grow on its own - those sort of cuttings are often the toughest and do the best.
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Post by Rosefriend on Nov 25, 2006 11:13:12 GMT
I have quite a few Buddleja's in my garden dotted about. It's pretty cold here in Winter - flat Norfolk, wind blowing straight across from the Arctic - feels like anyway. Quite often -10 in January/February but my Buddlejas always survive. Hi 4P, Well actually a large part of the problem is that our winters can be so much colder and a Buddleia isn't very happy with minus 20 and more. Thankfully we do not get temperatures like that every winter but it does mean that we have to largely cover most of our plants up. Normally with a Buddleia I wrap chicken wire around it and fill it with leaves etc. All my tubs - even with Acers etc have to be wrapped in fleece and bamboo matting etc. I can't just leave them near the house without protection, - I would lose everything. Also my Roses have to mounded up with earth and additionally covered with fir tree branches etc. and my standard roses have to be completely covered up with fleece. My Olive Tree survived minus 18 deg C last year outside but only because it looked a bit like a roll of fleece - I had to cover it from top to bottom with 4 layers, and still get at it to water it. Established plants always do a little better but I must admit that even then in a very bad winter I lose Roses - even in a normal winter some of them freeze back to the ground even though they are covered up. We are always thankful here when we can get a lot of snow before the frost really sets in. As far as TLC is concerned - I think that you are right - a bit of abuse might help as well.... Rosefriend |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Nov 25, 2006 11:52:53 GMT
blimey Rosefriend, I had no idea you had to go to all that sort of trouble just across the water... makes our minimal preparations in the UK seem very lightweight - or do others have to take this sort of care? depends on how much "on the edge" your style of gardening is, I suppose...
OM.
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Post by Dutchy on Dec 10, 2006 16:56:16 GMT
She has what we call a land climate whereas most of you Brits have a sea climate. Due to all the water UK and parts of Holland are warmed up more. The sea and ocean work as big heat stores. Mind you one hardly thinks of them like that. Try putting your big toe in at this time of year.  Dutchy |
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Post by Rosefriend on Dec 10, 2006 17:56:13 GMT
Does that mean Dutchy that my Buddleia's have no chance at all now.
Not only is it colder here but you have been to visit me (lovely please come again) and cast your eye on my two remaining Buddleia's.
Rosefriend
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Post by Dutchy on Dec 11, 2006 14:30:41 GMT
Sorry Rosefriend. Short of a miracle they appear doomed. I have looked at them and ( so have you) and then there is this bit about you living in an area with land climate. It is a one in a million chance.....
.........
.........
Ever read Terry Pratchett, his discworld series?
They will live I think though I must admit they did not look very strong.
I am curious as to how they will do.
I told you I have a white one (greygreen leaves) in a pot. That is still doing well. It still has not dropped its leaves. At its feet the spring bulb Irises are already poking their noses up.
I'll keep you posted on how I fare with my little potted one. Will you keep me posted on your two survivors in the garden?
Dutchy
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Post by Rosefriend on Dec 11, 2006 17:47:18 GMT
Hi Dutchy - well thanks for very probably killing off what was left of my Buddleia's - however should they live to see another year, you can come back for another visit and we can drink a toast to their health - what do you think? Mind you if it is only a million to one chance then I think that we ought to buy a bottle whether they survive or not. Oh and your white one - yes I am looking forward to hearing whether it survives the winter. Perhaps I can have a cutting? Rosefriend |
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you are wicked sleepy 
