My flower bed!

Hello all! I am back! LOL

I was wondering if I have missed something with my flower bed! Nothing seems to be growing and the Celosia is starting to look bad!

Do I need to deadhead Celosia? I thought the blooms where supposed to last a very long time!

The Dahlias are not blooming either! AWW I think I might look for some Dwarf Zinnias to replace them! I have heard the bloom like crazy and I know I can collect the seed for next year. That would at least put me ahead!

I noticed that the soil does not seem to be getting very moist under about 2 inches below the new organic soil I added so I am going to add in some Pete Moss. I have thought about giving it some Miracle Grow, but I am not sure that is a good idea because of the fact that the soil was organic and has manure in it! LOL

Here is a list of what and in what order I planted. This pic is a month old but they are not looking much better! LOL

My questions are:

What do I need to deadhead?
What can I collect for seed next year?
What will just come back?
Can Vinca change color? It is supposed to be hot pink and some white and it is all hot pink! Maybe it was just miss labeled at the store.

Front Row:
Celosia (Cristata) Amigo Mix. Which is a mix of bright colors 6 inch height

Second Row:
Hawaii Royal (Ageratum). Which mounts to about 8 inches and is a blue/purple flower 6 inches height

Third Row:
I mixed these together.
Floral Lace Mix Dianthus (Dianthus). Which the colors of are crimson red and a white tipped pink fading into red and white tipped red. 8 inch height.

Forth Row:
Salvia Sizzler (the tag does not have the Latin name) Which has deep plum purple blooms. And I believe grows to an 8 inch height.

Fifth Row:
Dahlia Figaro Mix Which is a bright mix of colors. 12-24 inch height (I did get a few from a greenhouse that look the same! But that tag says they grow to a 10 inch tall height and 10 inches wide. So I guess we will see! LOL)

Sixth Row:
I mixed together Titan Punch Vinca which are hot pink 14-16 inch height. And what the tag simply calls) Vinca which has white peddles and either a yellow hot pink or red center. Some of which have a pinkish purple peddle and a hot pink center. Which it says has a height of 12 inches.

Seventh Row:
Rocket Mix Snapdragons. Which it says are a hybrid of mixed color. So I don't know if that means they will reseed. Height 36 inches.

And finally in the upper left corner (or Eighth Row) is a Royal Red Butterfly Bush. Which looks the same as the standard Butterfly Bush with purple flowers, but whose flowers have more of a pink or reddish tint to them. I was told it would grow to be 6 to 7 feet tall but I am going to keep it trimmed back shorter then that.

Sorry can't help with most of your questions because I don't grow most of those plants, but the one thing I would suggest is to put some mulch down over the bed, that will help keep the soil cooler and keep the moisture level more consistent, this may help with some of the things that aren't growing as well as you hoped.

How often do you water and for how long each time? You should water twice a week for an hour at a time, you want the roots to go nice and deep. Miracle Grow wouldn't hurt either. And I agree, Mulch...

Your plants look like they are suffereing from stress.

You don't say how much sun this area gets but it looks like it could be a hot spot. It's hard to tell from the photo, but your dirt looks really smooth and uniform which suggests that it doesn't have good tilth. That means that there aren't alot of little pockets to hold water molecules for the roots to draw from.

A good layer of mulch and regular watering should help with with the stress. Miracle Grow does produce quick results but it's chemicals don't feed your soil to encourage a healthy micro herd and earthworms. This fall, turn in a good amount of compost. A cover crop of clover planted this fall and turned into the soil in early spring will also increase your soil's fertility and tilth. Don't overwork your soil to be so smooth, a little lumpy is actually good.

HUMMMM!! Well I can tell you that the dirt looked a lot more sad before I added to it! LOL

It is pretty compacted, that is why I added to it. But it drys out! LOL

I water every night for a few minutes. I can't tell you how many exactly, but I water until I can see it is staying wet and has a little standing water on top, but not much.

My Dad told me to get a mister and let it run for several minutes every night, that way it soaks it slowly and can get down deep, and it more like a long slow rain and not a down por. Which makes since! LOL But I have not found a mister in Wal-Mart! LOL

Would not mulch stop the plants from spreading? I know the Hawaiian Royal spreads by rooting the low laying steams that touch the dirt.

Would watering early morning and at night help? I know my Grandmother lives in NM and that is the only way she gets hers to stay alive and look good all summer!

Watering for just a few minutes is not enough, but if the water's puddling up it means your soil is probably clay so what you really need is drip irrigation that will put out water very slowly (1/2 gallon per hr is usually what's recommended for clay), I run my drippers for a half hour at a time and I'm not even sure that's enough, maybe I should be doing it for longer. Or you can get a soaker hose that has little holes in it and run that across the bed, I'm not sure if you can find those with a slow enough flow rate though

Mulch will stop some plants from spreading, but if you have one that roots where stems contact the ground, all you have to do is move the mulch out of the way a bit if you see some stems close to the ground that you want to root. And some plants will be able to root through the mulch too especially if you don't put down a super thick layer. Most of your things don't spread that way so I don't think you really need to worry, the benefits of the mulch far outweigh slowing the spread of some of your plants a little bit.

Well I will see what I can find. The probelm I have with running a drip line of some kind is the water has to come from the other side of the house so the hose would be laying across my yard and across the sidewalk! LOL AWW got to love my house! LOL

Well I will go and look for so mulch to add. And I will try and put some air pockets into the soil.

The weeds where loving my flower bed! LOL I grow such beautiful weeds! LOL

Thanks aagain all!

For make-due drip irrigation, plastic bottles with small holes in the bottom distributed through the area will do the job. Not pretty, but they work.

LOL I always wondered why people had those in there yards!! LOL I can save milk jugs! LOL

Well I know I watered for at least 10 minutes last night and it still looks "muddy" shall we say.

I watered fairly heavy and then waited a few minutes for it to soak in and gave it a GOOD dose of Miracle-Gro!

So we will se what cooks up! I will make sure that I water very well everynight and as it gets hotter maybe midmorning. I have thought about midday but it will just evaporate I am sure! LOL

Thank you all for your help! I will let ya know!

Whoa! Overwatering is as bad as not enough. Twice a week, early in the morning should do it. Try not to water too late in the day so your plants don't get fugus issues (water + dark = fungus). Don't forget to mulch with 1-2" of organic material.

If I don't water everyday they start to wilt and dye. I think I need to rework the dirt too!

I am looking into mulch all I have seen is wood chip or wood shavings.

If you water slower to get water deeper into the soil and if you have mulch on there then the soil won't dry out as fast and the flowers won't wilt every day. Daphnecat is from a climate with less extreme summers than yours though so even if you water deeper and mulch you'll probably still need to water more often than she does. But not every day.

I haven't had any success with Miracle Gro in the garden. It's okay for pots, but composted manure in the garden has made a world of difference in my beds. My dirt was a mixture of clay/rock/sand and some other areas under old pines was awful - very acidic- almost ashy type soil. The composted manure seems to really attract earthworms!

I was watering every night, too, last year. Then someone showed me that the water wasn't getting to the roots, by sticking a finger into the soil you could see how far down it was getting. A good soaking once or twice a week is far better - it seems to encourage the roots to grow deeper. Shallow watering allows the roots to stay near the surface of the soil and they will dry out quicker. Any kind of mulch is better than nothing; I have a variety - pine straw, pine mulch and mixed wood mulch. They all seem to work fine.

Vinca comes in all colors. I haven't seen any that change color, though! LOL. I haven't seen the ones you are talking about return, I have always used them as annuals. The ground cover variety of Vinca only blooms in the spring and is a perennial or evergreen.

With drought conditions looming, I found other plants that don't care if it rains or not, like Lantana! I have had no success with Dahlias from seed, but lots from tubers.

Good luck!

Well thank you every much! I have started watering longer at night, and check it during the hottest part of the day to see if it is dry! LOL And give it a drink.

I think I just really messed up the soil and the soil I bought was not top quality but I thought it would be good so..... Anyway I am sorry you went through this too last year, but I am glad I am not alone! LOL

Everything looks much better now that I am keeping it more wet and gave it the Miracle-Gro! LOL

I will update you if things start to make a big improvement! LOL

Thank you all of your help!

Definetely add mulch. My flowers & soil looked similar to that after I read a "no mulch" article saying mulch was bad. I didn't mulch and what happened was, the soil dried out, the beneficial microorganisms in it died, the worms left, and far as I'm concerned killed my soil. It turned into a desert, I'd reached my ends when a friend asked me while looking out at my garden if one that has dust blowing around in it looking like the dust bowl of the 30's was the new vogue. That day we mulched but my soil was now poor, it used to be average. Within a week of mulching, my plants looked much better. I'm now seeing an occasional worm, and little bugs again so my soil is coming back.

Don't use Miracle Grow, it makes your plants chemically addicted and is like shooting your plants with a high energy drink but it doesn't have much in terms of nutritional needs/balance or help your soil. Also, the plants only take what they can use and the rest is wasted. So, even if the chemical fertilizer says 20-20-20 most of it isn't used at all by the plants, instead being washed away. Plants have evolved to match their nutrient intake with the speed the bacteria breaks it down which is based on temperature. As the ground cools, the plants can't take in as much nutrients but also the bacteria breaking down organic fertilizer is happening slower. As temps rise, and the plants can take in more nutrients the bacteria breaking down the organic fertilizer & matter also work faster to release the nutrients. They're synchronized with each other.

So, mix in some organic fertilizer (when it's time to fertilize again), then water deeply, then mulch. When you mulch, you mulch around the base of each plant as close as you can but you don't want mulch touching the plant. Also, as mentioned water in the morning because wet leaves causes fungus problems, that gives the leaves time to dry during the day.

This message was edited Jun 26, 2007 11:02 AM

I noticed a lot of people are saying water a lot or don't water too much. I didn't read all the way to the bottom, but I do know that if you just plant them whether from seed or transplanted, you need to water a lot at -first- until the roots establish, it shouldn't usually be a problem with annuals but perenials.

I know that at first, before the roots establish, you mainly keep the water moist throughout the week. After they establish then go to water twice a week. Since the plants are somewhat small it could mean the roots haven't traveled far.

I have a lot of clay in my soil, so I usually dig 2-4 inches out then loosen the bottom pretty good. After that I fill it in with topsoil. My only problem is bugs(grasshoppers I think). I just started using miricle grow and I think my plants are already looking better. Also pay attention to the backs of packets(if seeds) or the directions, they'll say how much sun or shade a plant will need.

Well I hope I helped, but I might just have repeated a few things. I'm off to work on my own garden in a little bit.

Oh, I also forgot to add that adding peat moss really helps, my mother used that in her garden and it is overrunning the place, its really neat.

Also, txflower, if you aren't sure about a flower you planted (mislabled) there's always the internet, I found a site just the other day showing all of the variations of lilies, iris's, hycinths, and such. It was bloomingbulbs.com.

>I was looking for perenials to plant in the fall

Yes you have helped! Thank you to all of you! Our Wal-Mart is starting to fade things out I think for the end of summer! At least they are not restocking things!! LOL

Therefore I am just going to make sure it stays moist! No one intown seems to have mulch! LOL

They are looking a little better now after water and Miracle-Gro! LOL

I know that making my own mix of cheap potting soil, Miracle-Gro soil and Pete Moss did wonders for my houseplant!! I had afeeling in my gut that I should have done the same thing for the flower bed but I was cheap and trying to get it done and a million ofther things that week in May! If you have kids in school you know what I mean! Everything happens at once! LOL

Anyway I will let you know!

Thanks again!

This message was edited Jun 26, 2007 10:09 AM

Txflower, you said no one in town seems to have mulch for sale?
Well do you have a lawn? Use those grass clippings, they are rich in nitrogen, and if you have leaves around use those too.
The best kind of mulch is free mulch, you don't have to buy it.
You could even ask the local Starbucks for their coffee grounds, or save your own, that is excellent mulch too.
If there is a tree trimming service, they grind the branches and a lot of time they give them away, or if not they sell them cheap.
There are many sources, use your imagination.
Josephine.

Are there any nurseries or landscaping supply companies near you? Or even Lowes or Home Depot? I can't imagine that places like that wouldn't have mulch.

Oh yes we have those but they are in Amarillo. It is not that big of a deal to drive into town, I just ws really hopeing that I could find some in town.

I would have never thought of "making" my own mulch! LOL I would have thought that grass clippings would seed grass in my bed! LOL

I know ihave a ton of clippings when I mow! I can fill the dumpster AT LEAST half full after mowning my lawn! LOL

Go for it, you won't regret it.

might I suggest that you use a cultivator and open up the surface of the soil? Sometimes the surface will form a hard crust that prevents the water from getting any deeper that the top 1/2 inch of the soil. after cultivating it, water it by setting out your sprinkler for abt. an hour. Don't be stingy with the water, you can't overwater. Best time to water is in the morning. If you can't get there, than get a timer and set your hose out the night before and set the timer for 1hr. @ 6:00 am.

momo125: You absolutly CAN overwater. The type of watering device used determines the amount of time it takes to deliver the right amount of water.
Overwatering results in the soil becoming saturated at or below the root zone while the surface of the soil still dries out and requires more water. The end result is soil that becomes anearobic and soggy, which kills the microbiological life that lives in healthy soil, making the soil turn sour. This certainly affects the health of the plants growing there. Root and crown rot, soil fungus, stunted growth and plant death, to name a few.

Yep, you can overwater. I have a very hard time not overwatering. I've killed many plants doing that. I bought a moisture meter and now use it religiously even in my ground-level and raised beds (especially the raised beds), not just the potted plants. That has helped tremendously. My daughter says I need to join "Overwaterers Anonymous."

Karen

Well Just an update! LOL

We got 2 inches of rain over night a few days ago! LOL WOO WOO LOL it has been awhile!

Any way after all I have done and that GOOD rain I have been keeping things moist and they are starting to look much better and grow!

I have to wait for my camara to charge to take a new pic, but I think I just was not keeping it wet enough!

Even then next late afternoon after our rain if up dug down and inch or so you could see that the soil had moister in it but it in know way was wet. And it would not have pasted the "touch test" for potted indoor houseplants! LOL

But I have ben maintaining that moisture level and things are lloking up I think!

Now only my Celosia is looking bad, so I am not quiet sure what to do there! LOL I have lost 2 more of them!

But everything else seems to be doing great and growing! LOL

i am going to assume the flowers are a month old. it takes a while for the plants to settle in before they take off. i wouldn't worry about fertilizer for a while. if the soil in the bed is higher than the outside soil i doubt that you can overwater. if you want seeds or for them to reseed, then i would not deadhead the flowers. they look fine to me.

Here are some updated pics as I promised!

This is the whole bed!

This message was edited Jul 22, 2007 4:10 PM

This is the Vicnca (Top of Pic.), Dahlias, Salvia, and a little Dianthus in the bottom.
And the weeds that need o be pulled tonight! LOL

This message was edited Jul 22, 2007 4:25 PM

And moving down. Here is the Dianthus, Hawaii Royal (Ageratum), and some Celosia.

The Celosia really did not do very well! I lost the most plants in this group! Not sure what I should have done different. Or why the died. But they are pretty, the leafs don't look as nice as they did in May!

They are supposed to re-seed, but do not spread. They do grow new flower heads though! But you do need to stake them, because the head gets to heavy!

This message was edited Jul 22, 2007 4:18 PM

Close up of a red Celosia.

Looks great! It's really amazing what a difference a month can make. I'm so happy that your plants are doing well for you now!

NOw moving back to the top, here is another shot of the Vinca with the Snapdragons, and the Butterfly Bush's biggest bloom!

Here is a close up of some Snapdragons!

And one last close up of the Butterfly Bush Bloom and Vinca.

I am also VERY pleased with the progress!! Man was si sick to my stomach and sweatung it! LOL

you live fairly close to the "nature's way" plant. cotton burr compost that can be used as mulch. they have a web site also i think it is naturesway dot com

i'm sorry it's called 'back to nature'

Hum my landlord is always telling me to put cotton husks in there! LOL

slaton,tx is where their plant is. i use it as a mulch also. it says on the bag you can use as a mulch.

HUMMMM, well I am looking and I don't see anything about Back to Nature. Maybe I am not looking at the right things. Do you have a link?