Quick Fire Hydrangea won't grow
bg_nelson
8 years ago
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luis_pr
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoNHBabs z4b-5a NH
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoRelated Discussions
Things that won't grow in Florida
Comments (154)I find it strange that so many people are trying to grow northern vegetables following a northern calendar in FL. No wonder you're having so much trouble! I'm in central FL 9B and I grow stuff all year round - but what I grow changes with the temperatures. For example, this past year in the cooler months (late fall/winter) I grew lots of leafy greens like lettuce, chard, cilantro, garden and red sorrel, bok choy, radishes, carrots, and peas. I've got a few pigeon pea "trees" (they live for ~5 years and produce pigeon peas year round. They are drought tolerant and infertile sand tolerant). I've got straight Myakka sand and I haven't been amending. To my surprise, quite a few plants were very happy in my infertile sand. The only thing I do is occasionally add some coffee grounds once in a while or some diluted urine. I'm now in the process of making and charging biochar to long term improve the fertility of my sand since any compost I added in the past disappeared almost immediately (to be honest, it disappears in my compost bin before I even really get a chance to use it). In October I started tomato plants from seeds - now that it's March they are flowering and fruiting. Everglades tomato is a FL native tomato that can perform even during our crazy hot and humid summers. There's also Floradade tomato, which was developed in south FL specifically to cope with the brutal summers and can handle up to 100F. I've got those sprouting now (mid March) so we'll see how they do. There are at least 10 other tomatoes I know of that purportedly thrive even in FL summers but they will not be the tomatoes everyone knows in the north. If you want to grow northern tomatoes, just do it in the spring; most tomatoes will drop flowers by June due to the heat. If you can keep the plant alive through the summer (usually by shading it from afternoon sun) they will start producing again in the fall when temps cool down. I've also got sweet and hot peppers, sweet potatoes, cowpeas, eggplant, callaloo (amaranth), garlic chives, lagos spinach, New Zealand spinach, Ethiopian Kale, Malabar spinach, Roselle, Cranberry Hibiscus, Chaya, and Moringa for the summer. Rule of thumb for FL gardening: Southeast Asian + Caribbean veggies do particularly well in FL summers and "northern" veggies grow well here in the winter. As for fruit trees... stop trying to grow what does well in the north and grow what does well here. I've got a monster guava that I never fertilize or water and can deal with the occasional cold snap. Mulberries also do particularly well - they are basically zero maintenance (no extra watering, fertilizer, thrive on neglect). They fruit multiple times a year (mine are flowering now). There are plenty of other options if you look....See MoreWould like to see pictures of Quick Fire and Clematis grown together
Comments (9)Little Bas (only one s) if you want to look for it - I got mine from Brushwood nursery, mail order. I think for me there have been a few keys for success: - size the shrub and the clematis well - a large vigorous clematis will smother a shrub that isn't a really vigorous grower with a head start, while shorter clematis, or ones with longer internodes will be easier on the shrubs. - stiff branches are important on the shrub, so that the clematis doesn't pull the shrub out of shape. I may have taken a few more photos this year. I'll look, but it may be a few days since my home internet is down....See MoreHydrangeas that won't bloom. An unknown variety
Comments (8)I would check the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to see if they are high or low. High nitrogen levels indicate that one may be over-fertilizing; and too much N makes the plant concentrate of growth at the expense of blooms. Six hours of sun is great. You can go as low as 1-2 or plant in indirectly lighted areas... kind of like a full shade location that has bright (as opposed to dense shade). Bright shade locations are places where the sunlight hits inches away so it is bright. Or places where surfaces like cement walls or driveways bounce light -hopefully not too much- towards the hydrangea's location, making the area bright. Miracid does not acidify the soil as amendments like iron-chelated compounds or aluminum sulfate but it contains nitrogen in various percentages depending on the package so ck the NPK Ratio to make sure you are not adding a lot of N. For example, the Miracid box in the link below has 30% nitrogen (NPK Ratio is 30-10-10). If you add this often then nitrogen can slowly build up to high levels. A soil test can accurately tell you (a cheapo soil test will not be as accurate but may give a hint if things are high). If using chemical fertilizers, you can use a general purpose, slow-release fertilizer with a NPK Ratio of about 10-10-10 in the Spring. http://www.sears.com/the-scotts-co-1-g-p-acid-lv-plant-food/p-SPM2697788902?hlSellerId=22023&sid=IDx20110310x00001i&kpid=SPM11935403316&kispla=SPM11935403316&gclid=CLOS1qqFuM0CFRY7gQodInoJZg A 1/2 to full cup of organic compost, composted manure or cottonseed meal in Spring should be all you need provided you soil has no mineral deficiencies. You can also add minor weak fertilizers like liquid seaweed, liquid fish or coffee grounds during the growing season but stop at the end of June, so the plant will go dormant at its proper time in the Fall. The ones mentioned above have a lot of "minor" elements (Calcium, Magnesium, etc) that the plants always need....See MoreQuick fire hydrangea no blooming.
Comments (6)Interesting - mine blooms well every year. I'd be more likely to put it down to the fact that it's a new plant and still growing roots and settling in. Since they are relatively new, and if you are getting the kind of droughty conditions that the northeast is, they may need some water. Check soil moisture with your finger, and water slowly and deeply as needed....See MoreMissy, Traverse City, Mi Z5
8 years agonicholsworth Z6 Indianapolis
8 years agoNHBabs z4b-5a NH
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agonicholsworth Z6 Indianapolis
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoMissy, Traverse City, Mi Z5
8 years agoNHBabs z4b-5a NH
8 years agotranny
8 years agoColleen Yee
2 years agoluis_pr
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agocolliegirl1
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoNHBabs z4b-5a NH
2 years agolast modified: 2 years ago
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