I planted these a couple months ago and they were doing well. They filled out a bit, went into full bloom and seeded, and now they are yellowing. One stem turned yellow and then browned, almost if it had been directly sprayed with something. They have been getting plenty of rain and have well-drained soil with a slow release fertilizer mixed in. All the other new plants around them are performing nicely. What is going on with these?
I think the key phrase here is " ...and seeded.".
When a plant has produced seed it has done what it can toward assuring the next generation, so the stems and leaves that supported the flower and fruit are no longer needed. The plant may take back some of the nutrients to recycle them into another crop of flowers, but any parts that have flowered ought to have been trimmed as the flowers fade. This makes the plant think (if plants think!) 'Oh, no, those seeds did not set, better produce more flowers!' So you get another wave of flowers. It may be too late, now. Collect the seed for next year's garden.
Thank you for the advice! Unfortunately some impolite person thought they would do a little weeding as they walked by my corner garden. My neighbor told me they were torn out of the ground and lying on the other side of the sidewalk.
Might have been an animal that tugged to plants free and as these plants are poisonous, they spat them out. I have small deer here IN UK and the Bucks can wined the Antlers around the plants and pull them out, roots and all, however just another explanation for plants lying on the ground un-explained.
With Lot's of perennial plants, as soon as the flowering stems begin to die back, cut them off way down at the closest BUD, or remove the whole stem, the Plant as Diana has said will think it has to make MORE seeds therefore might give a second flush of flowers, maybe NOT as large or tall as the first lot, but colour in the garden is good no mater what size EH !!!!.
My Perennials never get to form seeds, I remove the flowering stems soon as the seed heads begin to form.
I do believe the energy the plants use to make seeds is better used for making the plant make more growth, form better root system than seeds, BUT perhaps ONE floer stem forming seed heads is better than several stems growing seeds that will never be used.
Best way I know to increase your perennials is, next spring when you start to tidy up the beds / borders is to very gently scrape away some soil around the new fresh shoots, , look for small parts that have little roots under the shoots, remove these bits and pot them up into nice damp compost and grow on till they are large enough to be planted back out into the garden, they CAN stay in the pots till the following year, just make sure they get light, water and shelter until large enough to be self supportive. By doing it this way, you know the baby plants will be the same as the parent. After you take your new cuttings, give the parent plant a feed to see it through the summer.
Best Regards.
WeeNel.
Ditto to the possible animal doing that. I have seen deer bite and pull up something, only to decide they do not like it.
They never replant it!
