Cleome

I have just had a PM from Stingo asking if my avatar was Cleome spinosa (also known as C. hasselriana), as he was thinking of growing it. I thought I might reply by way of a thread in case the information was of use to anyone else.

Yes it is Cleome, I think it is lovely. Its an annual. The year before last I was lucky and got it right. I sowed the seeds on 27 Feb initially inside the house, and they grew into fine big plants - nearly 6 feet high including the pot. I had three in a big pot and they had real presence.

But last year I got it wrong, I sowed them at the same time, and put them outside too early, when there was a cold spell. They sulked and refused to grow, and eventually they all died or just faded away. I have since read Christopher Lloyd saying that you shouldn't sow them (or Tithonia) till 1st May for this very reason, as they are not very hardy and once they have sulked they never really recover. He said it was so much warmer in May, with more light that the later sowing caught up quite quickly.

I will be growing them again this year. I will probably sow some on 1st March (CH recommended delaying all flower sowing till then) but I will also sow another batch on 1st May.

The only slight drawback, the first year, was that they got eaten a bit by Cabbage White caterpillars as Cleome is closely related to the cabbage family. But that was more of a curiosity than a problem. It was easy to remove the caterpillars. They also have small spines, but again not a problem. Well worth growing.

 

Peter is that the one we used to call the spider flower? If so I tried them once and the slugs loved them. Cabbages again I suppose.

 

Yes thats it John - spider plant. I have quite a lot of slugs - but I don't remember a particular slug problem with them. But that could be why they did well two years ago when it was dry early in the season and badly last year when it was wet early on.

I used to go out at night with a torch (car inspection light) and hunt the slugs - but now I just grow invasive plants and watch them battle it out together! :D

 

I grew 50 Cleome for a Parks flower bed last year(among others) and sowed them end of March but due to the very warm april and being in a polytunnel they bolted and were over 2ft high when planted, they did branch out and flowered throughout the summer but if I grow them again I will sow 2/3 weeeks later. I have to sow some Tithonia for a bed this year but will leave it till late April.

 

I am surprised they are not grown more Strongy - they are most impressive But I suppose a lot of it comes down to ease of growing. I am going to try Tithonia this year - I will probably sow a few early as well as some later. Its difficult not to be impatient.

 

I have liked them and Mirabilis ever since I first saw them in Canada back in '79.I have grown them on and off over the years and I agree they should be grown more but I think because they look straggly as the flowers die off they appear untidy to some.

 

^^ I'm sure I asked about your Avatar too- they are lovely flowers.
I'm trying Mirabilis this year- I've got my seeds sown but nothing has germinated yet. I live in hope!

 

Peter
Thank you for that information, I'll order the seeds soon and have a go beautiful flowers.
Stingo

 

Four o' clocks are rather difficult from seed Ethansmum. I like growing from seed but tried for a couple of years and then bought some corms.

 

Mirabilis I have found to be easy one year after composting the top growth I spread the resulting compost on the garden, it was on over winter and last spring I found lots of mirabilis seedlings had shot up and they managed to flower last year,I have left the tubers in the ground to see if they over winter.

 

Sorry Peter, I seem to have taken over your thread. Profuse apologies!

Ah please don't say that Saraceniac :( :( I was so excited about them. Nevermind, I did get some corms too but I was really looking forward to growing my own especially as I have seeds for different coloured ones to those corms. Let me know how you get on Walnut.

I also got some echinacea seeds and someone on another thread said that those are difficult too.

 

Don't apologise Ethansmum - I am as interested as anyone in all aspects. I have never grown Mirabilis and after all your talk I feel I should put it on my list.

I grew Echinacea seed only once - the plants are still going. But I found them easy, and I think they even flowered a bit at the end of the season. They are a little bit grumpy about being moved, ie they may sulk the next year. And they don't bulk up as fast as something like their close relatives Helenium. Its only after about 6 or 7 years that single plants are starting to form a nice clump. But the solution may just be to plant the seedlings much closer that the recommended spacing.

 

Ethansmum, you really shouldn't have any trouble germinating Mirabilis they are not difficult.

 

You are right strongy. Really easy to germinate. The difficulty is keeping them going. They damp off if you look at them.

 

After all this talk of Mirabilis - I bought some today. 6 tubers for �£1.

So how do I grow them. I understand they are not truly hardy - inspite of what it says on the packet. So when can I put them out? Where do I put them? (only sensible answers please) - in a pot or in the border. And do I treat them like a Dahlia in the autumn - wait till the first frost then lift and store the tuber? And how do you propagate them?