Add feature to plant files?

Dave,

Would it be possible without much hassle to add "does best or great in X sun"? I keep planting things in "part sun" and they keep not doing great. They live but don't bloom or don't bloom well. Some people add it to the comments after the entry but not frequently.

Thanks for all you do,

Maggie

The problem is that where a plant does best is going to vary depending on your climate. Something that's marked "part sun" will probably do best in part sun in the majority of the country, but in cool summer climates maybe it's better in almost full sun, and in hot summer climates like yours, maybe it needs more shade.

That's correct about varying climates. Here in New Mexico, "part sun" can be enough to fry a plant, while they thrive for my sister in North Carolina. Moisture also has an effect. We are extremely dry here and some plants like a bit of humidity in the air.

And the only things that do well here in full sun are native plants, such as the grasses or sages.

And, of course, weeds seem to thrive anywhere. ;-)

June

What's aggravating is that when I do move them, they do better in FS! In FL! I honestly would have expected them to do better in FL-PS for a FS plant. Guess I'll just start them all off in FS and move 'em if they start to fry. It seems harder to ID a problem for a plant getting just not quite enough sun.

Thanks for your input guys,

Maggie

Sun/shade requirements are in every PlantFiles entry....

Hi Terry,

I know. I read them. But there are requirements to survive and requirements to thrive/be bushy/flower better. Some people will note that something grows but gets lanky in less than full sun for instance. I thought more people would put this in if it were a box to be filled out. I have a bunch of part sun I keep trying to use but frequently it turns out that what I put there really needs full sun if I want more than a few flowers.

I wasn't complaining, just asking about the feasibility. Obviously, if only one person asks for something, it's not worth the time/trouble. I'll just keep relocating the plants:-)

Maggie

Maggie, I think lots of people would like that feature IF it were something that would be true everywhere in the country. Unfortunately, for any given plant the best place for it in your yard is probably going to be different than in my yard, or someone who lives in the midwest, so for a lot of plants you could never put in a checkbox that would be correct for everyone (or even the majority of people). That's why the comment area is the best place for things like that. It's not that people don't like the idea, it's just there's really no way to implement it (otherwise I'm sure it would have been in PF a long time ago!)