OK, good, we got the positive out of the way. Let’s dig into some negative:
I really love Helenium (Sneezeweed) but it pisses me off to no end. I made sure to cut it back pretty severely in June to ensure that it didn’t get too large and topple over. Well, guess what, the f’er toppled anyway:
Even more frustrating, the one plant I left untouched stayed upright. But that one lost all of it’s leaves on the bottom half of the plant:
The bare legs are hidden from most views but I don’t care, I know what happened and that is all that matters:
Speaking of toppling over, all of my Boltonia are doing it for the second year in a row and yes, I cut them back for size control. Maybe it was the result of all the rain we’ve had … yeah that’s it:
And now they look like a bucket of crap. They get one more year and then I’m done:
I had such high hopes for Panicum ‘Ruby Ribbons’ but it is still super lame in year three. Son of a …
haha….you sure do have a way with words!! don’t hold back john, tell it like it is 😉
Oh yeah…I know the feeling…granted, a lot of it is my fault for putting full-sun plants in part-shade 😉
Debbie – this blog is incredible therapy, hope my vents don’t turn people off.
Scott – I’m sure there is something I didn’t do right in each situation, just takes me a while to admit it.
Love visiting here need the truth <|;-)
Hi John,
Just Pull It.
Cheers, Jenni
Boltonia Snowbank can be controlled somewhat by cutting back but forget it with Pink Beauty ring it! I always hated using plant supports but read a great article in Fine Gardening how to grow what you love and how to hide them in the foliage. I have given in and will be using them for all those floppy plants next year, especially my Agastache Blue Fortune. It is a stunning plant in my alley garden but flopped miserably this year, had to cut it back early.
Eileen
Manure Tea Soil – this blog has been an incredible outlet for my failures. Thanks for stopping by and all of your support!
Jenni – I may need to get t-shirts printed with that phrase “Just pull it!”.
Gatsby’s – Thanks for the heads up on that article! Haven’t read it but absolutely need to.
Welcome to my world. Worst heat and drought in Oklahoma since they began recording such things. Cucumber beetles took my cukes, melons and pumpkins. Grasshoppers stripped the okra and ate the tops of my cabbage. No tomatoes or beans. In all, a crapola year. I got some peas and potatoes early, and might have sweet potatoes but won’t know how they did till I dig them right before frost. We’re getting some rain now and I have beets and turnips planted but they say to still expect dry weather, so I have no clue whether I will get a crop. Lost a lot of my flowers.
OMG ! You have gifted me with such a good laugh this morning ! All of us have these problems once in a while if not more often and the really naughty words I have to say in my mind ? well lets just say I can probably out do you !LOL .. Eileen is right about the plant supports .. I hate to use them too but it saves a lot of what is left of my sanity .. even my large miscanthis Purple Flame grass gets FIXED so it doesn’t look dreadful after a hard rain .. but some plants just don’t work so I say get rid of them too !
Joy : )
Dear OMG, great post (and funny and instructive and enjoyable blog). Some pesky plants just simply do not appreciate our sincere efforts! cheers, catmint
Ilene – so sorry to hear about your misfortunes! All the effort and very little reward. Some times it just feels good to vent but we know we’ll be back at it.
Joy – if I can make someone laugh and can get my frustrations out at the same time, then I am a happy man!
Catmint – thanks for stopping by! Loved your blog and will be back. Love the name Catmint too! You’re right, the plants need to understand all we’ve gone through!
Hi, I also had no luck with Boltonia cultivars standing up unsupported. I saw a great white daisy in my friend’s garden standing tall and it was the species! I got mine from a native plant vendor and it looks great without staking. My helianthus salicifolius flops, but I do cut it back. I get twice the flowers and a 4 foot instead of a 7 foot flop. I just bought Table Mountain perennial sunflower, supposed to be short and upright. It is stiffly upright in its container. Now for the garden, we’ll see.
Good luck, Nancy Bee ps get some bamboo stakes, they’re great. You can cut them after staking so you don’t see them.
Hi, I would like to say something about your post on your deck/backyard. Your steps end abruptly leading to grassy emptiness. Create a destination far out into the yard: a gazebo, a copse of trees for a woodland garden, a pond, a seating area with firepit etc. Then you create a way to get there and gardens spring up along the way. It’s a wonderful adventure getting gardens out into the yard rather than just surrounding the house or yard. Surrounding the house or lining the driveway is, I think, how most of us gardeners start out.
Good luck, and show some pics as you venture forth -Nancy Bee
Nancy B – great suggestion with bamboo stakes. I can’t give up on these plants so I’ll continue to cut back and stake where needed. Every year I vow to expand the gardens out into the yard and every year I can’t get to it. A fire pit is my next plan and I just planted some grasses out yonder figuring the deer will leave them alone. Thanks for stopping by!
No matter where my flower beds are located, I cannot garden without bamboo stakes. Together with green plastic twine, they are the third most important item in my garden-tool bucket, after gloves and pruners.
Cutting back a plant may prevent it from becoming tall and lanky but it is no help in preventing plants from falling over.