Sad Lobelia

About 3 weeks ago I made up my first hanging basket with some simple plants. Petunia's and trailing Lobelia around the sides.

I used water retaining crystal and watered them every couple of days to make sure the soil is nice and moist. The petunia's are loving it and giving me some fantastic flowers but the Lobelia 's don't look so happy.

They have turned from green foliage to a sort of purply colour and they look dry and shrivled but to the touch feel firm and thick. Sorry not a very good description. Perhaps these pics will help.

 

Hello Littleweed. Lobelia is not entirely hardy. Nor are Petunias but I find them tougher than Lobelia.
Your Lobelia looks as if it has been hanging out in a cold wind and some chilly nights.
I think it will perk up when the weather gets warmer. In the meantime I would put the baskets inside on cold days or nights or put a bit of fleece over them.
I have some Lobelia planted up in horse baskets but I've made some little fleece quilts for them and peg them onto the baskets with clothes pegs on cold nights.

 

Thanks Alice. As you can see from this pic the petunia's are quite happy. The PEtunia's were not flowering when I put them in. They have both been there for a few weeks now and we have had occasional windy day but I live in Bristol where it has been fairly mild for the past month or so and some really nice days too (although not quite as nice as some of those SE county's) When would expect the Lobelia to start to flower? Sorry, first time I heard of Lobelia was when I went shopping for something to put in my baskets!

I will look at ways to try and keep them shielded from the wind.

 

I think its just a case of the lobelia not being hardened off.

I've had a tray outside for the last month or more and its still green.

As Alice says, it will pick up once it gets established, its an easy plant.

 

Hi Littleweed, I wouldn't expect Lobelia to flower before June.
I'm sure your baskets will do just fine - just give them time.