Finally Little Lamb has been tamed!!!

11 years ago

Hello LL lovers ~ or die hards ~ after 7 years in *My Piece of Soil under Iowa Skies* w/ the last few, trying to figure out how to shape him to a decent critter (of blooms) he has finally responded to my efforts.

To those of you who joined in, in the earlier discussion thread dealing w/ trying to see how we can enjoy LL more might have viewed an album I've shared depicting why I embarked on an effort of trying to tame LL's nature. This supposedly Li'l Lambs can really grow to big rams (blooms, I mean). I didn't like the devastation when big storms (tornadoes) & mighty winds pass thru. I didn't want to yank him out of the dedicated ledge he is in ~ w/ river rocks for bed no less ~ I kept trying & think w/ an equally stubborn spirit, won (at least for this season!!!

Here he is ~ please clic on pic to see better! TIA for viewing!

Here is a link that might be useful: LL in 2012 ~ after a hard prune!

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Comments (6)

petchie
11 years ago
I was at Lowes and they had a little lamb on clearance. Immediately thought "unruly" from your past posts! Glad to see you have it tamed.
greenhavenrdgarden
11 years ago
Ditas, I am so happy to see this. I had read your previous thread and decided against buying LL bc of your struggle. I purchase 3 Pinkie Winkie instead. Now that my plants are blooming I realise I have 3 LL and NOT Pinkie Winkie. Lost the receipts so it looks like I'm keeping them.
I need to move them bc the spot isn't right so I was thinking of placing them in a bed that is above a 3ft tall natural stone retaining wall. Right now the bed has river rock covering it and a bench but I will remove the rock and amend the soil. I figure that if the LL's do droop they will hang over the wall and still be ok.
I love the way yours are looking now. Can you tell me exactly what you did this year to make them so well behaved?
Do you think they will be ok in a full sun bed right next to a stone wall? Will it be too hot?
Thanks in advance. Laura.

I didn't s
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hostaholic2 z 4, MN
11 years ago
Hi , haven't been on this forum in a long time but was browsing through threads and saw this one. I have my LL's planted about halfway up a slope and I love the way they cascade down the hill. I'm in zone 4 and they get about 3/4 day sun. I do give them supplemental water with a soaker hose to get a good deep watering but it's worth it to see them smothered in blooms.
MollyDog
11 years ago
Ditas, I, too, would like to know exactly what you did to tame your LLs.
October_Gardens
11 years ago
As we've moved into paniculata season, it seems like the best strategy is now:

1. Hard prune in late winter (1st or 2nd week of March), down to half the theoretical maximum size of the plant (e.g. Little Lamb 2-3'). Remove exceptionally tiny branches all the way down to their parents. Cut arching branches down to where they are nearly perpendicular to the ground. (Prune Quick Fire in Fall only)

2. Mulch well at the base. You can see the difference this makes with Roses - it works with h.p. too!

3. Fertilize evenly in May, June, and July.

And enjoy the show! For trees, same rule would apply - remove thin branches, and cut the new thick ones back by 50%.
ditas
Original Author
10 years ago
For some reason the link I posted last year didn't show up.
Here's another album, hopefully will open to show Little Lamb's improvement after a couple of years of hard pruning to 2ft & contained w/ stakes & wire cage!

The panicles are smaller ~ just how I have been wishing him to produce & he no longer lay on the river-rock-floor!!!

FWIW ~ atten Luis!

Here is a link that might be useful: Little Lamb in 2013

Finally Little Lamb has been tamed!!!

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Finally Little Lamb has been tamed!!!

Comments (6)

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