Perennials that haven't reappeared after winter

I consider myself quite fortunate, after a winter that has been harsher than usual, it appears most of the perennials have survived and are making a reappearance.

However a few haven't made it I think:(. I'm almost certain my Verbena Ridiga, Verbena Bonarenesis and a Crocosmia "Babylon" have died. The Verbenas were planted (and bloomed) last year, the Crocosmia was bought cheap last autumn and planted then too.

What do you think? Should I give up on them or wait a bit longer. I ask as I want to get replacements planted soon if there are going to be gaps in the border.

 

I always wait ... "dead" plants often surprise me.

Start off a replacement in a pot, just-in-case?

 

Yep, going to do that with the replacements.

Remembered another one - Eupatorium Purpureum. Bought last autumn, dormant, planted and it looks dead. I fear frozen in the ground :(

 

I would wait a bit (though have replacements on standby). We did have a severely cold spell a few weeks ago, perhaps your plants are still asleep waiting until they are sure the cold has finished. When I was last in the countryside a week or so ago, I passed some Blackthorn that would normally be starting to get its flowers by now. They were all still fast asleep, just dark, knobbly sticks.

 

... and conversely when I had a wander through Hyde Park when I was in London a few weeks ago and couldn't believe how advanced the Spring was there!

 

Ahhh, but that's London for you. It has its own micro climate, at least 4 degrees warmer than the rest of the South.

I'll wait then....

 

Aaron have patience, there is no way your crocosmia are dead.:lollol:Give them all another month.:gnthb:

 

I have two Crocosmia, the one I'm concerned about was planted dormant (no leaves, just bare stalks cut back) last autumn. My other one is sprouting away nicely.

The Eupatorium was planted in a similar state this winter. I lifted it recently and it was still in the state I planted it - roots in the pot shape, if you know what I mean and no sign of life. I've moved it to a hopefully more suitable spot in the hope it has survived!

 

Aaron, any plants you put in in the winter would not have made roots overwinter. The first rule of gardening is patience.:hehe::thumb:

 

If you had verbena bonarensis last year watch out for seedlings and transplant them where you want them to grow.tyey pop up in all kinds of odd places.

 

My Eupatorium has shown no signs of life yet. But I am happy that it will return - it very hardy and always does. It also likes moisture and can be found by the side of streams, so it should be less susceptable to the winter wet that kills a lot of things. So yours is very likely to come back.

None of the Verbenas are that hardy. V. bonariensis is the most hardy and should return. But as Joyce says, even if it doesn't, it seeds around freely - so you may still have its children. I wouldn't consider B. rigida to be reliable. I always lift mine and overwinter in a cold frame. It has fleshy tuberous roots and they say that you can treat them like a Dahlia, lifting and keeping the fleshy roots frost free. But the roots are too brittle for my liking so I lift the whole plant.

Up here Crocosmia is a weed and I couldn't kill it even if I wanted too. So that too may well come back.

However I wish I could say the same for my Lupins. I grew loads in pots last year, then planted them out in the autumn when space became available, but I can only see a few of them now.

 

Well I only planted the Eupatorium last winter so fingers crossed for it. That's the one I am hoping for most, as it cost me the most!

Now Lupins are another matter. I sowed a load, planted them out last autumn too and most have survived Excellent, OH loves lupins!

 

Hmmmm. Just did some research on V Rigida - "half hardy, withstanding temperatures to freezing" -it got to -15' and I didn't protect it much. Oh well, looks like one of the standbys will be going in its place!

 

Hey Guys,

I'm a new gardener and I too am wondering what went wrong with my perennials? I bought them from a garden center and they flowered really well all summer.

But both my digitalis and scabious have definately not survived. I've dug up whats left of the roots (not anything left really) and in both cases there were loads of yellow and blue balls stuck to whats left. Are these centepede eggs?

I've got very heavy clay soil. I have bought both plants again for this year today, can I plant them now in the same spot?

 

Digitalis won't re-appear, they're biennals. With any luck last summer's flowers will have self seeded and you'll have loads of little plants appearing....they'll be fine on clay.

Scabious did the same with me. I decided not to bother with them again. We're on clay here too, so maybe its not the best for them.

The blue and yellow balls might be water retention balls added to the compost by the garden centre/nursery? Nothing wrong with clay though, its full of nutrients and a lot of plants thrive in it. You have several options - either enrich the soil with compost/chicken manure and/or plant perennials that thrive on clay. Yes, there are some!