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Minnesota Gardening

When should I see signs of life?

15 years ago

Hi all. I just planted my first garden last year and I was wondering when my plants should show signs of life this spring. I live in Rochester, and I planted around some utilities using river rocks as mulch. I planted Russian Sages, which I cut back about a month ago and I am seeing signs of life with those. However, I also planted some Goblin Blanket Flowers and I see nothing. I'm also concerned about some Heavy Metal Switch Grasses I planted. I lost 2 of them for sure over the winter because they were knocked over by the snow from our drive-way and I think I had planted them too shallow. It looks as if the entire root ball came up when they fell over and then completely dissentigrated. However, I still had 3 standing tall all through the winter. I cut those back about a month ago, but they are still brown as can be and I see nothing green coming up around them at all. I've been looking at all my neighbors flowers and grasses and they all seem to be coming up nicely but my plantings look as dead as can be. Should I just fertilize them and give them some more time - or should I just replant? Thanks for your help.

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Comments (5)

heleninramsey
15 years ago
You never have anything to loose by waiting, don't worry about fertilizing just yet, it is too cold for the fertilizer to move. Grasses need heat...and goblin is not always easy to get back, just mind where they are and wait, it is early. You do not need to hurry to plant, nothing grows till the soil warms up.

Hang in there and live and learn. Don't worry, it's just a garden....

Helen.
elleni
15 years ago
I was wondering the same thing about my grasses. My 'Karl Foerster' is already coming up (both old and new Fall plants), but none of my new 'Panicum virgatum Shenandoah' and 'Panicum Ruby Ribbons' grasses show any signs of life yet. I had only one of three Dewey Blue Switch Grass return last year, but so far this year the one remaining clump also shows no signs of life.

I hope you're right about grasses waiting for heat. I guess 'Karl Foerster' is not as picky?
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elleni
15 years ago
Oh, and my 'General Sikorski' clematis looks like a giant twig. I got it in flower from Menard's last Summer. It seemed to settle in fine-- even grew some new buds and a couple of new flowers in the early Fall. This is only my second clematis. The other, a Huldine, is on its forth year and already nearly 12" high. When should a group 2 clematis show signs of life?

Here is a link that might be useful: Clematis when first planted
heleninramsey
15 years ago
Karl Foerster is a cool season grass and will appear early and bloom early, Shenandoah is a warm season grass and will not show up till it gets warmer, and bloom later. The Dewey Blue is a warm season grass as well.

Helen.
elleni
15 years ago
RE: Grass. Thanks Helen. I'll have to be patient.

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