what does it mean when your plants don't show/bloom?

18 years ago

i planted my first native garden last year. everything was from 3.5" pots or bigger.

everything so far is coming up wonderfully - bigger and beautifuller - except a couple of things and i'm wondering whether that's the natural selection of things, an extended adjustment period, cultural needs not met, or just plain bad luck!

so i'd love to hear what you all think. i know this is about 99% speculation, but maybe you've had a similiar experience?

1. dicentra eximia - i planted three last year that grew and bloomed all summer. it was a wonderful group. this year, one came up and it looks a little spindly, and the other two never showed.

2. dodocatheon meadia - planted five last year, all in bloom. three came up this year, but only green leaves, no flowers.

3. aquilegia canadensis - planted two last year and moved them in the fall. no sign of them whatsoever. i know they are short-lived but proficient seeders. did the transplant not suit them well?

4. dutchmans breeches (sorry forgot latin) - planted as dormant, foliage came up nicely but no blooms. does this one take awhile?

5. various items that i planted in the fall, mostly just after bloom. when you see a no-show in the spring do you just assume it didn't survive the winter? (and i mean, those items that should've been blooming in the spring.) or do you give it another year? one i'm thinking of in particular is baptisia alba, but i haven't seen my penstemon digitalis either.

i'm hoping maybe i just need to be a little more patient! but if a no-show means what it means, then i'd rather try to plant something new in that space.

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Comments (2)

greenthumbannie
18 years ago
1. If I remember correctly, some of the plants listed require moist soil. And I think, there was a bit of a dry spell in your area.

2. It's not unusual to lose a few transplants. I planted three red huckleberry. Two survived. I did not water in late fall, and I probably should have. I also lost a mock orange, but it was one that I planted in the fall. The spring plantings took well.

3. The spindly dicentra may be due to soil deficiency or something else lacking in the location. You may want to see if where you have planted it is consistent with its natural setting - part-shade, moist soil, etc.

4. I'm guessing, but if your plants were too close to a tree, they may not have been planted in a suitable location.

I have planted many native plants, and the ones that are shrubs will take longer to grow to sufficient size to bloom and fruit.

Good luck, and compliments on all your hard work.
fairy_toadmother
18 years ago
well, many of my fall planted natives didn't survive the winter! to be honest, probably half of what i ordered and planted. imo, native columbine can be testy when transplanted if large. i think i probably got one, though!

last year i planted 2 dicentra eximia (one white, one pink). the white one is blooming beautifully. the pink has no bloom at all and receives a lot more sun. i think perhaps it is not mature enough.

dodocatheon meadia - could be it just needed to develop roots. as long as it is green, i wouldn't worry. oh, i am sorry. they bloomed before and you lost some. did you plant or dig in the area they are in without realizing since they go dormant? perhaps they dropped some seed and these are babies.
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what does it mean when your plants don't show/bloom?

Comments (2)

greenthumbannie

fairy_toadmother

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