1. My liatris are growing, is this going to be a problem for the bulbs in the spring?
2. Are the yellow and purple datura hardy? I got a great variety of seeds and am wondering when to start for spring and if they over winter here when they mature. I know the white native species does.
Questions about some plants from the last NTRU
My liatris died, so I hope it comes back to life in the spring! I did sprinkle the seeds on the ground around the plant, though.
The tops look dead but the bulbs were firm and I planted them. Now I see shoots coming up and I know from growing other types of liatris that those are blazing stars trying to grow. I just wondered if it will weaken the bulb to grow this late in the fall.
Did you plant them anyway?
C
Yep! It's out there getting watered and all that. We'll see what happens.
Look what I just found. Was out watering plants that had been cut back and recently moved when I spotted this guy on a mex. milkweed. I have not been kind to caterpillers this year and vice versa but its the end of the season and this guy looks interesting. I am sure one of the experts on here can tell me about him.
C
Sheila!! Where's Sheila?!? You might also try posting on the butterflies and hummers forum.
It's a monarch cat
Thats what I thought. Wonder if its too late for it to pupate and can they over winter?
C
They can overwinter. I saw them discussing this just today over in the butterfly forum.
Putting on new growth now will not hurt liatris. They go dormant when conditions are dry, especially after they have bloomed, and then sprout new growth to take advantage of favorable conditions when they occur.
The root looks like a bulb, but it is really a tuber and does not have the same issues that bulbs, like lily bulbs, have with sprouting in the fall. Here's some good information about liatris: http://www.gardening-tips-perennials.com/liatris.html
I plant liatris, mark the spot so I won't dig there by mistake, and forget them until spring.
Hello Pat, how did the Ash tree do for you? I hope it survived.
Josephine.
Hi Josephine,
I think the ash tree will make it. I put its pot into a larger pot with more soil until I have a chance to plant it. It lost all its leaves, but it's about time for that anyway. All the branches are still green, so I am optimistic. My sister is coming both week-ends that we are away and watering everything in pots. We are way off in Pennsylvania enjoying our first grandchild and helping with cooking, cleaning, and baby-cuddling, of course. We traveled by Amtrak, so I have no way to load up plants to take home! Here's a photo of Gentry Rose at two weeks of age. She's one little flower I would really like to take home with me. Well, maybe later when she sleeps all night!
She's absolutely adorably and I love her name!
Congratulations Pat, she is adorable. I am glad the tree is going to make it.
Stephanie, the Gaillardias you gave me at the R.U. are about to bloom, not open yet but have big buds, I am so excited!!!
Nice to have a mild fall. I am still not sure why gallardia hate me.
C
How exciting, Josephine! If you let them go to seed, you'll have a whole slope-full in the spring!
The Carolina Wolfberry I got from Denise has started putting on new leaves and blooming. I can't wait to see if we get fruit. Any idea what kind of little visitor is on the flower?
It is a Skipper, but I don't know which one, there are many, sooo cute!!
Thanks! He stayed there for a long time while I was out there.
Cheryl...on the butterfly cat...it is definately a Monarch! Congrats! It will make it's chrysalis and emerge in 10 days to fly south to Mexico! There are a lot of butterflies that over winter in pupa stage but they don't. Their metamorphsis is so quick...you can set a clock by them. It has probably dissappeared by now since it was pretty big.....so look up under the roof of a building, chair or something sturdy and high. It will be green now but will start turning black the day before it is time. This is what they look like the morning they emerge.
He or she is still feeding as of today and I am worried about the weather.
C
I am still wondering about the datura? I know Josephine told me to protect the Datura w. seedlings this winter but what about the purple that someone gave me? I also got several type of seed and what to know are these species/varieties hardy as mature plants.
C
The native Datura is root hardy, but the roots on those little seedlings are not big enough to take the cold, keep those protected.
Most Daturas are root hardy, but again they need to be big enough, one full season of growth would do it, but not a seedling or small cutting.
So even the fancy, colored varieties are root hardy? I was given a lot of nice seed and want to make a bed just for the datura this winter.
Cheryl