Quick questions about my first Perennial ever, that I've just planted.

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Hi.

I received a free plant with my shrub order. I've never planted anything but trees and shrubs, and consider myself still a newbie, in all things planting.

The plant is called Agastache Tutti Frutti. I planted it in my front yard, and then came inside to research more about the care of this plant, only to see it's for zones 6-9. Well, I'm Zone 5/6. Arborday and most updated hardiness maps place me at Zone 6, but I'm barely a Zone 6, my area is surrounded by Zone 5.

1st question: What can I do to make sure this plant survives the winter?

We live way out in the country, so we have to fence in everything we plant, to protect them from rabbits and voles. At least until what we've planted matures. We started to fence in this perennial with a tiny little fence when I said to dh, this looks just silly. We can't fence in a flower. He agreed, so we are leaving it outside, unprotected. I admit though I still might go out there and put something small around it, if for no other reason that to keep the wild kingdom of unleashed dogs that abound my road from peeing on it.

2nd question: Would rabbits and voles want to eat this plant?

Thanks in advance for answering my questions.

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Comments (3)

mnwsgal
8 years ago
I have not grown a. 'Tutti Frutti' but have several other agastaches and have not had any critter nibble on them. Fortunately we have no vole problems.
ilovemytrees thanked mnwsgal
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I also don't grow Tutti Frutti, but have other Agastaches and haven't had the voles do any damage beyond occasionally exposing roots as they tunnel, but they don't seem to eat or enjoy the Agastaches. I think the real threat to A. Tutti Frutti is winter wet. I've come to terms with the fact that while I love the Agastaches that are western species and hybrids, I can't be sure that they will winter over, even when they are supposed to be hardy. I plant them in sandy soil on a slope (or a raised mound), don't cut them back until I start to see growth in the spring, hope for the best, and sometimes have to replace them. So enjoy it this summer, but if it doesn't survive, it is likely to be the fault of the weather and cold wet soil rather than you. I don't know if growing this as a container plant in well-drained media will work or not, but I've done that with some of the not quite hardy western Salvias with success, bringing the pot into a bright cool area (sunporch) for the winter.
ilovemytrees thanked NHBabs z4b-5a NH
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rginnie
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hi Ilovemy trees, I am in 5b too (Central IL) and I have gardened for years and just started having a very little bit of rabbit trouble (They disappeared two good sized petunia plants in full bloom) last summer. But over the winter the voles cleared out almost the whole flower bed along the garage: obedience plants, a mass of probably 4x2 that I have had for 10 years (5 teensy plants remaining), 1/2 of a really nice geranium that was probably at least a foot wide at the bass, several helianthus, a lot of bee balm, who knows what else. Another smaller bed they "took out" a beautiful napeta, completely imploded it, two teensy sprigs sticking out of the mound of soil, surprisingly left alone a 2 foot mass of white iris...too early to tell if they got my Henry Eilers BES, and the Double Trouble sneezeweed. Durn rascals! My brother had excellent luck with mousetraps baited with slightly chewed tootsie rolls, but I have a nosey dog and can't do traps. Guess it'll be annuals in those beds this year. Boo hoo. So much of gardening is trial and error...plus what works this year backfires next year. It seems like I have a run of daisies one year, and then next year it's the bee balm that shines. The voles nibbled the bark off my yew bushes on one side of the house! But they are staying green and healthy looking so far! So don't put all your eggs in one basket!
ilovemytrees thanked rginnie

Quick questions about my first Perennial ever, that I've just planted.

Comments (3)

mnwsgal

NHBabs z4b-5a NH

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rginnie

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