Ok, what gives . .

with bare rooted perennials? I ordered some stuff last fall - and almost anything that came as a bare-rooted perennial has not grown, but the potted stuff is thriving.

for instance, I ordered 9 garden phlox of which three have emerge. But the two that came as potted plants - no problem.

Of the 12 lavender that arrived barerooted (I ordered potted, but got a substitution when the nursery "ran out.") anyway, of the 12, only two are growing.

so, does anyone else have these problems with bare root perennials?

Wish you had asked me before you ordered. I hate bare-rooted plants, unless they are large. I lost most small bare-rooted plants and gave up on them years ago. I don't like small plants in general. It's why I'm not a fan of places like Bluestone.

I don't think they work as well either. Roses may be the exception but I would much rather get real plants.

Bare root plants can be very fickle and take a lot of coaxing to get them going. Small potted plants on the other hand are ideal because they slowly establish themselves over a few years and adapt to their surroundings, cost less, and don't require excessive prep work, IMO. I tend to prefer small container perennials to large container perennials unless we're talking about trees and shrubs.

I've had larger (one gallon - ish) plants sent bare-root that did very well. They were well wrapped and hydrated.

jj - depends how small and what condition they arrive in. I have had bad experience with small plants (2 1/2 inch and less) sent mail order. They often dry out or lose all the soil. To boot, small plants often get pulled out by animals, especially squirrels.

Hate the squirrels - everything I have ordered from Bluestone has flourished - so I will continue to use them (can't afford bigger plants). I ordered these plants last fall before I joined DG.

So, would I be better off to order new phlox from Bluestone or are they easy to start from seed?

Buying small creeping phlox certainly worked for me. I paid $10.00 for the plugs about 15 years ago and you can see how they spread.

Are you asking about the creeping phlox or the taller one - about 18" or more?

I've only sent for one last year - Ruby Tuesday Helenium. I had forgotten that's how it was shipped when I received it to my shock. It did fine and is doing good.

I won't be planting any more small things in the fall, either bare root or potted, unless they are a real bargain. Unless it's something that needs fall planting, I'd rather plant in the spring, when I can watch it and know it's established and has some roots on it before our harsh winters.

I'm even preferring potted roses these days. They may cost more to ship, but seem to establish faster. Every plant is different and it depends on the vendor also.

Bare root plants are like your first year in high school. Your the new kid and you didn't want to stick out. I've put in several bare root lilies this year and they are all slow to catch on (establishing roots I guess). I have 3 that I'm really not sure they will make it. The others are taking about 4-6 weeks to show new growth. Potted plants stay greener but also seem to have that settling in period.
Chuck

Fall may be good for planting trees and shrubs but I prefer spring for any small plants, too, Gram.

Hi Pirl - tall phlox - they are for a fragrance garden - I want to be able to cut the flowers and use them inside.

You'll be waiting quite a while for a clump if you do it by seed or by baby perennials, Seandor. If you can find one for around $5.00 and like the smell I'd go with that. At least you can divide it every two years and have an established colony sooner.

Gotcha. Order them I shall :-)

Victor, by smaller, I'm referring to 4-6 inch potted perennials. Anything smaller than that is too delicate unless I get it on deep discount. Yesterday, I bought 12 primrose plants from Home Depot that were almost dead for 62 cents a piece. They each have 2-3 green leaves on them. Right now, they're sitting in a makeshift hothouse being coaxed back to life before I plant them out.

Oh that size is fine, jj. 4 inch is about as small as I will order. I will so a 3 1/2 from someone I know and trust.

I agree about the size. I've even taken a plant out of a pot to make sure it's well rooted.

I liked using that technique with dating as well.

You are part devil!

The trick is keeping secret which part.

Well, at the risk of disagreeing, I've planted tiny garden phlox from Bluestone and have 2 or 3 established colonies. The only difference between them and bigger more expensive plants was in the first year.
Although, I would add that Bluestone is not as big of a bargain as they were a few years ago when 3 small plants would cost less than 1 big one.

Yeah - but at Bluestone I have a greater choice of varieties than at local nurseries.
about
I may pass on ordering the phlox right now - only because I have a gazillion snapdragons that need permanent homes (and about 80 larkspur, and about 70 delphinium - oh, and candy lily, and pink malva, and about 40 viola, and still billions of linaria, and echinecia (sp) and pink cone flowers, and clasping coneflowers, and baby's breath, and OMG to many winter sown seedlings!

This is the time of year we pay for the winter doldrums that led us to plant seeds, order roses, daylilies, perennials, etc. We'll probably all do it again next winter anyhow.

Yes, I've been going nuts this whole week. Seems endless. Been cursing this gardening obsession. Especially when I see the weedy areas that are totally out of control. Mistakes are haunting me - use of small stones, hideous plants like Loosestrife, Chasmanthium, Eupatorium 'Chocolate', Goldenrod, etc.

Maple seedlings are maddening this year. Thousands and thousands of them. I want to get everything I bought planted but seeing those seedlings gets me nuts. I'll be out before 7 AM trying to conquer them.

Oh yeah - I'm always battling them as well. From Norway Maples and Japanese Maples. Also, pulled out thousands of baby Roses of Sharon. I cut it down last year. I inherited it. But grass in the beds continues to haunt me as well. You just cannot get it away from the good plants. It's hopeless.

It does feel as though it's getting away from me, too. The more I plant the farther I feel I'm falling behind.

Does it seem to you there is an unusually hire germination rate of maples? We have sooo many in our lawn and gardens.

No - same every year. Would like to get rid of both my remaining Norway Maples. It's a garbage tree anyway. Nothing of note.

Well, we have a sugar maple on the boulevard in front of Our Old House. Which is pretty cool, considering we are from the Pacific North West. Never tried tapping it though. . .

Those are nice. Great Fall color.

Yes - it is a lovely tree, and DH takes time to trim the lower branches so the tree remains attractive and neighbourhood folk don't have to dodge low branches overhanging the sidewalk.

I have a bumber crop of maples, dandelions and another weed I can't ID. Even my veggie garden is overwhelmed. Hope I can get my 10 yr old mantis to work. It's conking out on me.

We have what we call a "junk" maple (Swamp maple) so I was glad to see Victor calling his maples garbage. We've spent more with trimming and trussing than it's worth and it's only the shade it gives to the terrace that's of any value. My angst over its removal this winter is the clematis vines that are on it. I think I could use one of those chain saw artists.

My neighbour has a swamp maple - looks like a great climbing tree - but soon "helicopter" season will be upon us - (DH calls the seeds "helicopters") the seeds will be everywhere - we have to clear out the eavestrough a couple of times until the seeds are all down.

It's a royal pain and I'm on my way out now to work on the problem. It feels never ending.

You can cut the Clematis all the way back - the roots will be fine.

They're both Jackmanii's so that part is fine (cutting back) but the tree is dying anyhow so it has to come down this winter. What can I use to take the place of a tree? The clematis needs to grow on something and I think we have enough trellises, tuteurs, the obelisk, lattice work, etc. I did have this inspiring thought of having my DH build me a copper tree and cement it into the stump but it's still a work in progress.

pirl - the copper tree sounds cool. I like the visuals on that. Good idea