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Post by Mr Grinch on Jul 11, 2008 8:37:22 GMT
Hi all, Im having a 'Not Happy with my Garden' day today. If there's one thing i hate is mess and things being untidy. I HATE staking and i hate plants that flop. I aim to buy plants that stay upright and need minimal staking. Course Perennials do need the odd thing being tied back, i can handle that but then so called rigid up right plants start flopping and covering plants in front it really does start to annoy me  This year has been a nightmare. Roses that shouldn't flop, have, shrubs like Forsythia, one of the most easiest has gone over. Everything seems so top heavy. Is it my pruning ?? Im a bit upset today. G  |
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Post by nightowl on Jul 11, 2008 9:01:51 GMT
You know it's not you Grinchy, it's all this damn rain making lots of soft growth and then weighing it down with even more rain!! |
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Post by Plocket on Jul 11, 2008 9:40:44 GMT
Oh MrG I know what you mean. Unfortunately Nature will do it's thing and I guess rather than getting stressed we need to hope the weather will improve soon. At least you don't have to do lots of watering at the moment  |
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Post by Mr Grinch on Jul 11, 2008 13:01:24 GMT
But wont the Forsythia be forever bent now ?? Or will it straighten ? Also got some lovely Asters that grow really tall, but most of the stems are falling over already. Then when you try and tie them back, the dstems are all crooked  Ive had Red Hot Pokers that instead of growing up, go crooked. Feel very dis-heartened today. G  |
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Post by Weeterrier on Jul 11, 2008 14:47:26 GMT
One thing is for sure, you're not alone. Most of my flowers are facing the ground, and some aren't even opening, my Nectaroscordum for instance, and my cabbage roses. Just the weather.  |
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Post by Tig on Jul 11, 2008 15:05:15 GMT
I have been quite brutal I'm afraid - I have trimmed lots of soft growth back, and hard pruned several plants that had fallen over Other things have been staked and tied in, they have two chances, straighten or grow crooked! There are worse things in life than a bit of droop  Tig |
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Post by Chuckles on Jul 11, 2008 18:10:45 GMT
One thing is for sure, you're not alone. Most of my flowers are facing the ground, and some aren't even opening, my Nectaroscordum for instance, and my cabbage roses. Just the weather. You are definately not alone  I'm so disillusioned with this weather and the effects it's having on the garden. Lost loads of flowers this last week or so and I've got loads of stuff thats flat or bent over despite propping, tying up, supporting etc etc Almost as bad as last year really and it makes you wonder why you bother BUT WE DO  |
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Post by beanie on Jul 11, 2008 19:29:44 GMT
maybe something to look forward to. It can only get better (can't it?)
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Post by nightowl on Jul 11, 2008 20:19:53 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2008 9:41:26 GMT
Mr. G., I know how you feel. My little patch is basically a lush mess right now. The other day my One Gardening Friend came over and we talked about the things that have not worked this year: dahlias emerged, grew to about six inches and then stopped and quasi-died - we figure they've rotted. Nasturtiums are waaaaay behind (self-sown ones that should be romping away by now). My passionflower grew like mad, has loads of buds, a few opened last week, then we had more torrential downpours and now lots of the buds are brown and withered - and exactly the same thing has happened to a massive specimen down the road. Crocosmia threw up loads of leaves, but no sign yet of flower stalks .... hopefully it'll improve
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Post by Mr Grinch on Jul 21, 2008 7:28:28 GMT
Well, ive bitten the bullet !!
The Forsythia has been chopped back. All the top heavy growth has now gone. Hopefully it will now grow upwards instead of down woods !! Ive decided also, after this season to get rid of a very large aster that grows to around 6 feet. Every year it grows then flops onto everything else. Ive tried staking but never works, so it goes at the end of the year !!
G
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Post by Tig on Jul 21, 2008 9:15:22 GMT
Well done Grinchy - there comes a time when we have to be decisive!!
There is a standard Salix on our lawn, it was one of the first things we bought when we came here. It provides a bit of structure in the winter, but it is pretty naff the rest of the year, and it stinks on a warm day, vile smell it is too! I hope to convince OH that we should remove it soon!
Tig
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Post by Chuckles on Jul 21, 2008 9:27:10 GMT
I know what you mean about tall things flopping Mr G I have the same problem I get terrible wind in my garden, not me personally you understand joking apart it is annoying when you try and stake them but they just flop anyway. Have you tried those special supports that have the sections that the plant can grow through so it gets support all round and inside the main clump. I've done it with canes and string on a few of my Asters before and it works ok. I just put canes in a square and some in the centre and then do the green garden string in and around them to hold the lot together. It soon gets covered by the plant and you don't see it |
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Post by Mr Grinch on Jul 21, 2008 10:25:24 GMT
Ive tried that too Chuckles.
It works with the smaller tall ones (if that makes any sense) but not with this very large aster. Again its very top haeavy and string cant cope !
G
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Post by owdboggy on Jul 21, 2008 12:01:44 GMT
Sympathy....know the feeling............we are the same. Given up to a large extent. Anything flopping on to the grass gets the lawn mower over it!
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Post by Mr Grinch on Jul 21, 2008 13:00:42 GMT
It some ways this is worse. Its tall so its at the back but it flops all over the other plants killing them. As its an Aster the baes of these stalks are not as hard as other upright plants. Ive made my mind up, yes they look lovely in Autumn with its pink flowers but its got to go.
Anyone want a plant ?? Im sure i could get four oyut of these ??
G
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Post by Shrubrose on Jul 21, 2008 17:41:37 GMT
Already got 'em Mr G - mine flop AND get mildew. I keep saying they're living on borrowed time  |
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I'm so disillusioned with this weather and the effects it's having on the garden. Lost loads of flowers this last week or so and I've got loads of stuff thats flat or bent over despite propping, tying up, supporting etc etc 
