Why don't they do what they say!

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Clematis, Jun 19, 2009.

  1. Clematis

    Clematis Gardener

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    Am I the only one who buys plants, relying on the label only to find it is completely wrong.

    I bought an Alpine Leucanthemum - label says height 30cm (12 in). Planted them near the front of the borders - Now they have reached 4ft I have cut them right down ready to move them right to the back of the border. Why can't they do what it says on the tin and save me work.

    Right rant over - back to the job in hand.
     
  2. Sam1974x

    Sam1974x Gardener

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    Have noticed different internet sites will tell you different measurements and have even seen some give different planting positions/soil conditions.

    Then people wonder why I havent a clue sometimes !
     
  3. clueless1

    clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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    I like it when they tell you that it will flower from June to September, as though it is set in stone that it will do. No account is taken of where you put it, how you look after it, how for north/south you are etc. That's all irrelevant, it will burst into bloom bang on midnight on 1st of June exactly, and then as soon as we hit September, all the flowers will immediately drop off.
     
  4. Sam1974x

    Sam1974x Gardener

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    On past experience, I always read that as 'you should see some sort of flowers anytime between June - September'.

    Cant be disappointed if you think like that :)
     
  5. clueless1

    clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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    I know what you mean, I consider it as a very rough indicator as to whether it is a late or early flowerer and how long it can hold its own for. That's probably the intended meaning on the label, but they are very specific sometimes. I guess as our society becomes more and more litigious, it is only a matter of time before we here in the news that someone is trying to sue a nursery because their plant didn't burst into bloom on the 1st June:)
     
  6. Sam1974x

    Sam1974x Gardener

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    lol was going to say on the previous post that I am suprised someone hasnt tried to sue yet under the trades description act !

    I think the only time I would be annoyed at a label, is if I got home and the wrong label had been put in the wrong plant. Other than that ..... I try to only use as a rough guide and research on the net or on here before I plant or expect much from it.
     
  7. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    I consult the books that garden centres very kind make available for checking the information on the labels :D
     
  8. Hec

    Hec Gardener

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    I bought a white, climbing solanum - it's grown into a bush with purple flowers and no sign of climbing!!! Got it from Aldi though for a couple of quid so can't do much about it.
     
  9. joyce42

    joyce42 Gardener

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    I have a white solanum,gave a cutting from it to my neice and it was a purple one. you must have got a sport too.
     
  10. clueless1

    clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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    Some climbers don't seem to be climbers at all. You have to fasten them to things. To my mind that means they are not really a climber. I bought some nasturtium seeds once that were supposed to be climbers according to the packet. They just rambling along the ground.
     
  11. Victoria

    Victoria Lover of Exotic Flora

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    Solanum are a strange species ... they are shrubs, climbers and even creepers, depending on which you have. They can be trained well however. I had the S jasminoides (potato vine) when I lived in Buckinghamshire and it rambled all over the pantry roof and small conservatory ... but I had to train it to do that. The common one was purple but there was a white one. It had drooping clusters of flowers.

    Currently I have a S rantonnetii .. it is definitely a shrub and comes in either purple or white also but with singular flowers.

    The most beautiful one is the S wendlandii( Costa Rica nightshade) with lilac coloured singular almost ruffled flowers and it is a climber.

    In Portuguese there is a word called 'trepadeira' ... it means climber or scrambler depending on how you treat it. :) It is often said in gardening articles I read here that you can use Bougainvillea and Clematis and other such climbers as scramblers on the ground and they are incorporating that into the roundabout flora now. A favourite here is Honeysuckle and I have seen it further north scrambling around flower borders in park areas ... absolutely superb! :gnthb:
     
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