When will my 4 o'clox bloom?

This is my first year growing them, and I am being very patient, but I'm eager to see blooms. I planted them by seed on 5-27-01 directly into the garden. When will they bloom?

I started Red Four O'Clocks indoors:

Mar 5, 2001, "Sown" occurred.
40 days later, on Apr 15, 2001, "Transplanted into Garden" occured.
30 days later, on May 15, 2001, "First Flower"

I also direct sowed some yellow Four O'Clocks in another area, and they have not yet bloomed. The reds are in full sun, and yellows are in full shade. Where are yours?

Dave

Mine are both in full sun and are now blooming their little hearts out. We are a week or so ahead of you here in Nashville so you probably will get blooms pretty soon. The tubers get bigger and they get stronger every year so they will be bigger and better next year.

Elena, do they bloom sooner the next year if put into the ground as tubers instead of just seeds?

Also, I find mine tend to wilt in the midday sun, but then recover when they're back in the shadow. Anyone else experience this? I've read that they like hot dry conditions, but my plants don't seem to be reading the same books...

Mine self sow and they never bloom until the end of August.

Mine have just started to bloom and are in the shade. I usually have tons of them but last year I saved seeds,lol so just have one or 2 this year...... have to the warn you they spread like wildfire...

I have some in full sun that just reseed themselves every year. They have been blooming since mid July. I have some others that I planted in partial shade, and they haven't started blooming yet.

Janet, I would think that they will bloom a bit sooner if they are from the older tubers but there isn't much difference in the time table. Mine are all in the same beds and are all blooming. I let them self-sow and they are all together so I never really notice too much which ones were blooming first to tell you the truth.
Yes, they will wilt in the strong sun but it never seems to have any lasting effect on them. They are really tough plants. One thing I have found is that they can get so tall that they need a little fence or something holding them up when they are subjected to strong winds and/or heavy hard rain. When they are in full bloom they can wind up pretty beaten down under those circumstances. I always put a short wire fence around mine.

If they don't bloom faster from tubers, what is the advantage? Larger plants?

Yes, I find they need staking or propping up also.

One fellow here in town grows them as a flowering hedge. He doesn't worry about staking them, just plants them tight and gets a beautiful long mound of them.

I may try planting them in a large container next year.

Have you tried checking them at 4:00 AM? Or maybe at 4:oo p.m. in another time zone? sorrrry....I couldn't resist any longer...:}

Dear Zanymuse,
Ya just hadda do it didn't ya!!!!!! Really and truly, they do close up once the sun hits them during the day so guess the answer to that might be 4 A.M. Tell ya what! You get up and find out and let the rest of us know. OK?

My Four O'Clocks seem to open in the evening, but much later than 4:00pm. They seem to open close to dusk, and then they stay open until shortly after 12 noon.

They are hidden from the sun until noon, and then full sun from noon until sundown. This supports Elena's statement that they close once the sun hits them.

Dave

My 4 o'cl's stay droopy part of the day til the shade hits them .They,too bloom like Dave's, all evening til dark.The ones with shady mornings have not bloomed.Maybe they too need am sun to get them blooming? And they are very thirsty plants here!...Jane

4 O'clocks do like the sun. The more sun the more blooms and the more water.