Cleome

Peter the first time I grew them they were in pots planted in a multipurpose in march took them in the g/house on frosty nights,well rewarded lots of flowers and seed,I let them dry off as dahlias and stored them over winter just potted them up again to start them in the g/house.My previous postpoints out I left some self seeded ones in the ground they had stood some late frosts so will report if they stand the full winter.

 

I've got 40 seeds left so I'll keep trying

Peter, I'm so chuffed! To think that you got some mirabilis has really made my day! The one thing that I love about our chats is the fact that you've opened my eyes to alsorts of interesting plants that I would never have tried/bought. I was so set in my ways- poppies, roses, hollyhocks, lupins and any bedding plants from b&q. Now I have a long list of plants I want to grow. I'm so chuffed!

BTW Where did you get your tubers from? I only found them in one garden centre at �£1.50 for 5. I think Suttons have them too, but you got a bargain! Is yours 'broken colours' ?

 

Walnut - many thanks for the advice. I think I will try them in pots too. But the winters have been so mild that who knows what the future brings....

Ethansmum. Thanks for your comments. We are really all in the same position. I have learnt so much from others on this forum. And when plants, I don't know are mentioned, I am encouraged to Google them and sometimes try them - the problem is that the list of plants to try gets longer and longer.

I remember visiting a lovely garden in South Devon and the gardener, who gave us a conducted tour, said two things that have remained with me. 1) Grow what you grow well (ie go with nature, don't try to fight it) and 2) Grow 10% of new things every year. That way its exciting and a challenge and fun.

I found them in one of those Pound Stretcher type shops (I forget the name), and liked the price. In the next shop Boyes they were twice the price.

 

Wow Peter, I wish our pound shop had them. I decided to get some more this year and paid �£4 for 6 tubers. Didn't think of trying Boyes whose head office in Scarborough so they would have had some almost certainly. I won't sleep tonight now.

 

Sorry you are upset John . But the real test comes from whether they will grow. Over the last couple of years I have bought several Canna rhizomes. Two in packets that failed to grow, six from a stand at Harrogate Flower Show, of which only two grew and very very weakly. and one plant in flower from Morrisons, which is the only really healthy one.

I suppose that is why I like growing things from seed. You get a better return on capital (important to an accountant!) and you have only yourself to blame if they die.

 

Yes. I've had mixed results with Cannas. Bought a beaut at Reighton centre last summer (best nursery round here). It was great until I cloched it before the g.house arrived although that was only early autumn it just 'faded away'. Others from less respectable places have been fine.

I wish to put on record that a decent return on investment is important to cheapskates too. :D

 

I've already got some Cleome on the windowsill but will maybe start off another batch in a week or so. I have Mirabilis seeds, so will give them a go too. I have some cannas currently potted up in the greenhouse. They're putting up shoots, so fingers crossed.

Interesting thread!

 

Back to report that the cleome are doing well, and so are the cannas - plenty of new growth coming through. They're both still in the greenhouse, although I'm putting the cannas outside during the day now that it's warmer.