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Home > Archive > UK gardening > September 2007 > Perennial lobelia - autumn treatment
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Perennial lobelia - autumn treatment
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| Ildhund 2007-09-20, 9:25 am |
| http://tinyurl.com/3y7bqe
shows a tubful of Lobelia Fan scarlet that are singing their last
verse. There are four or five plants in the tub, and for a long time
in the spring, I was not sure whether I hadn't by mistake planted
some curious variety of reddish-green lettuce. But since it stopped
raining, the tub has delighted us for two months with a stunning
display of red spikes up to four feet tall.
Being an absolute beginner at this gardening lark, I now wonder
whether anyone could advise me how to maximize the potential for an
equally spectacular performance next year. One of the photos shows
that many of the spikes have new leaf growth, some at the bottom,
some halfway up and some at the very top. Should I cut the spikes
back? How far? Can I save some seeds for sowing next spring? If
leave the tub outside all winter, should I protect it somehow? (I'll
have to leave it out, anyway - no indoor storage here.)
You were all very kind answering my last query about a pot plant, so
I'm hoping for a repeat performance.
--
Noel
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| Emrys Davies 2007-09-20, 1:25 pm |
| "Ildhund" <jnllb@removemsn.com> wrote in message
news:fctqcp$pbp$1@registered.motzarella.org...
> http://tinyurl.com/3y7bqe
> shows a tubful of Lobelia Fan scarlet that are singing their last
> verse. There are four or five plants in the tub, and for a long time
> in the spring, I was not sure whether I hadn't by mistake planted
> some curious variety of reddish-green lettuce. But since it stopped
> raining, the tub has delighted us for two months with a stunning
> display of red spikes up to four feet tall.
>
> Being an absolute beginner at this gardening lark, I now wonder
> whether anyone could advise me how to maximize the potential for an
> equally spectacular performance next year. One of the photos shows
> that many of the spikes have new leaf growth, some at the bottom,
> some halfway up and some at the very top. Should I cut the spikes
> back? How far? Can I save some seeds for sowing next spring? If
> leave the tub outside all winter, should I protect it somehow? (I'll
> have to leave it out, anyway - no indoor storage here.)
>
> You were all very kind answering my last query about a pot plant, so
> I'm hoping for a repeat performance.
> --
> Noel
You appear to have Lobelia cardinalis Queen Victoria
http://tinyurl.com/33vhtb which is a hardy perennial. This site will
help you regarding propagation
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants...elia+cardinalis
Regards,
Emrys Davies.
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| i have attemted to grow lobelia but the snails and slugs destoy theme.
i can't use pellets as they might get in the pond
how did you stop the pests?
"Ildhund" <jnllb@removemsn.com> wrote in message
news:fctqcp$pbp$1@registered.motzarella.org...
> http://tinyurl.com/3y7bqe
> shows a tubful of Lobelia Fan scarlet that are singing their last verse.
> There are four or five plants in the tub, and for a long time in the
> spring, I was not sure whether I hadn't by mistake planted some curious
> variety of reddish-green lettuce. But since it stopped raining, the tub
> has delighted us for two months with a stunning display of red spikes up
> to four feet tall.
>
> Being an absolute beginner at this gardening lark, I now wonder whether
> anyone could advise me how to maximize the potential for an equally
> spectacular performance next year. One of the photos shows that many of
> the spikes have new leaf growth, some at the bottom, some halfway up and
> some at the very top. Should I cut the spikes back? How far? Can I save
> some seeds for sowing next spring? If leave the tub outside all winter,
> should I protect it somehow? (I'll have to leave it out, anyway - no
> indoor storage here.)
>
> You were all very kind answering my last query about a pot plant, so I'm
> hoping for a repeat performance.
> --
> Noel
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| Bob Hobden 2007-09-20, 1:25 pm |
|
"Emrys Davies" wrote ...
> "Ildhund" wrote ...
[color=darkred]
> You appear to have Lobelia cardinalis Queen Victoria
> http://tinyurl.com/33vhtb which is a hardy perennial. This site will
> help you regarding propagation
> http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants...elia+cardinalis
>
I don't think so, with our cardinalis all the leaves and stems are dark red
once they grow above the "baby lettuce" stage. Our Lobelia cardinalis or L
"Queen Victoria" has been in our pond as a bog plant for 25+ years and has
survived all that time in situ, winter and summer, sometimes it gets knocked
back in a hard winter but it has survived. They do seed around, especially
in pots of multipurpose compost containing something else!, but they also
produce rooted baby plants on the stems if they bend over and touch the
water. You can also cut off shoots from the stems and place them in water
until they root. By all means save seed but it will take a season or two to
reach flowering size IME.
The spikes will die over winter so can be cut back to a foot or so and the
tops laid over the plants which will give the roots some protection, don't
cover them so you exclude the light as they remain throughout the winter as
"baby lettuce".
In a tub, and I don't know whereabouts you are, they may need some
protection. In my case my pot of self-seeders I saved last year, which have
flowered well, will be brought up to the house wall over winter but I do
live in one of the countries hotter areas.
These plants do like a lot of water at the roots but can be left dryer
during the winter.
There is another similar species called Lobelia siphititica which is blue.
I believe there is another variety called something like "Elmfir" ? ( told
the name by the Head Gardener at Loseley House where I saw it growing) that
is more robust and can take dryer conditions so would be better for the
garden borders but I have yet to see it for sale.
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK
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| Bob Hobden 2007-09-20, 1:25 pm |
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"DB01" wrote
>i have attemted to grow lobelia but the snails and slugs destoy theme.
> i can't use pellets as they might get in the pond
> how did you stop the pests?
Bulk up your plant and there will be too much for the slugs to eat it all.
Ours gets some damage every year but is big enough to grow through it.
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
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| thanx for that
what does "bulk up" mean
TIA
"Bob Hobden" <bobh@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:5lfqadF82equU1@mid.individual.net...
>
> "DB01" wrote
>
> Bulk up your plant and there will be too much for the slugs to eat it all.
> Ours gets some damage every year but is big enough to grow through it.
>
> --
> Regards
> Bob Hobden
>
>
>
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| Winsford 2007-09-21, 9:25 am |
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Reduce watering now then cut your potted loelia to ground level after it
has flowered. Your compost should be nicely moist but 'under' rather
than 'overwet' if you see what I mean.
Over winter in a shed or carport. (Lobelia can be killed off very
easily if left too wet).
Then around early late March/April empty pot and divide your plants
between other pots adding new compost that will encourage new growth
and away you go!
--
Winsford
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| Bob Hobden 2007-09-21, 8:25 pm |
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"DB01" wrote ...
> "Bob Hobden" wrote after
> thanx for that
>
> what does "bulk up" mean
Make the clump bigger (by the methods describer earlier).
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK
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| thanx again I'll try that
Eugene
about 20 miles w of London
"Bob Hobden" <bobh@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:5lj07jF8hrajU1@mid.individual.net...
>
> "DB01" wrote ...
>
> Make the clump bigger (by the methods describer earlier).
>
> --
> Regards
> Bob Hobden
> 17mls W. of London.UK
>
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