Mid-Atlantic Gardening: FIRST FLOWERS OF SPRING!!!! Post your pics!!!!, 1 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
Muddy--

My clump of Monkshoods used to be on the W. side of my shed.
My shed is a chalet type with a very steep "A" frame roof.
All the rain water runs straight down--and in this case--it used to
run right on the Monkshoods.

For years--it grew just fine--and then started yellowing/blotching/and losing its leaves.
By the bloom time Iquite late in the fall) there would hardly be any leaves left on it.

I asked "greenthumb" what was going on--as he has them--and the only thing was
that he NEVER waters his...
David told me to try putting them in a pot and sinking the pot into the bed--and so it has lived..
It did a bit better--but not so great either.

SO--I dug mine up and moved them to the very back if my kitchen side bed against the house
between the ferns.......same thing...
I also planted 2 other sections in a small bed on the same side of the house...
on either side of my Proteys Clematis. They ALL show the same signs of problems...

Perhaps, this plant is not meant to grow in a development type garden.
Perhaps, it needs a woodsy type of environment...in humus-rich soil--moss covered--
dappled shade--gentle rainfall, etc..etc....

I moved the pot (in the picture above) to a different spot in the same bed when
i was digging up and dividing the ferns..amended the soil a bit...whatever.....

Can't say I have not tried.... G.

1--This is where it used to be--in the middle of this shed bed. Very wet
whenever it rained. Taken right now--nothing growing yet...

2--After I potted it and sunk the pot in the back of this bed--you can see how well it is
growing. look to the right of the fern...(2013)

3--This is a very small bed--here are the other 2 spots I planted some of it--on wither side
of the Proteus Clematis--Don't they look healthy?? (2013)

4--A more distant shot that shows both of the Monkshoods flanking the Clematis. (2013)

5-This is my "kitchen side bed"--right now. You can see the sunken pot all the way to the left.
it used to be in the middle of this bed. In season--it was totally obliterated by the ferns
and all the other plants in this bed. The ferns have not yet started growing.

SO--from all these lush-looking Monkshoods, by early fall--the problems will start.
The leaves start browning from the bottom up--eventually to the top.
By bloom time--the very top of the stalks will have some green leaves and the blooms
on disgusting looking stems...(see picture above). This is one of the ones on either
side of the Clematis.

OK! I am open to ideas.....thanks, Gita