I was given a start of this bush last year and it was about this size then. It grew to have branches 2'-3' long. I can't remember if I trimmed it back in the fall or early spring. Anyway, this bush has looked the same since spring. Why won't it grow?
If you amended the soil and it is getting enough sun, I don't know either as they are usually hardy growers and have to be cut back before spring, at least mine does. Hopefully, someone can help you.
Well, if a fully mended soil is a 10 being the best, mine is probably a 2 or 3! I don't think I will be able to do more to it soon.
They don't usually need great soil to do well. Do you know which cultivar it is? There are some newer dwarf ones that would stay a lot smaller than the typical BB's. I'd see how it behaves next year--usually these don't take a long time to get established, but it could be that yours is taking a bit longer for some reason--maybe it suffered some damage to the roots over the winter and had to take time to recover from that or something along those lines.
Ecrane, Thanks! I don't think it is a dwarf, although it sure looks like it! Last year it was thriving and now it isn't. I will just wait and see. I sure hope it makes it through this winter.
Venice, actually the fall is a good time to be planting perennials. You could help it by: watering first, then removing from the hole it is in, maybe enlarge the hole and amend your soil with some good composted soil, then replace the bush.
Ok, I could do that. Thanks.
Was it slow to get started this spring? I have family in OH & PA in a similar zone as you, and in recent years when it hasn't snowed as much as it used to they've had more trouble with their BB's coming back after the winter. They'll typically die back in your zone no matter what, but back when there used to be snowcover that helped to provide insulation so the roots weren't damaged and the plants would always come back really well every spring. But with unreliable snowcover, sometimes they don't come back at all, and if they do come back it wouldn't surprise me that they would take a lot longer to get going. If you think that might be the case, you might try mulching it more heavily this winter and see if that helps it too.
You could be right. We had one big snow and a little bit here and there. Then that big hail storm in the spring. I did lose 3 perennials over last winter and my garden is so tiny. I will really cover everything this year.
I had one that loked like that for the first year I had it , I thought it would never grow, the next year it went nuts!
Hey Crash! -- Except mine was good the first year and now look at it in the second year. I get real impatient when my plants are doing good.
Talk about plants not doing good -- The lower half of my tomato plants are doing good but the top half have blooms but not tomatoes. Could be the hot weather I guess.
This message was edited Aug 15, 2009 6:59 PM
venice, I have 2 butterfly bushes, and at first this year I didn't think one was going to grow much at all, it stayed small for the longest time. Actually my older one is the smaller of the two. It only got sun part of the day, so I think that was the problem there. Moved it to where it gets sun all day now and it does much better
I read fall is the best time to cut them back, so I'm going to do that with mine this year. I have usually waited until sping, but this time they will be cut back in the fall.
And talking about having problems with tomatoes, ours have Blossom End Rot. Plants grew huge, but tomatoes aren't doing so good.
I am not thrilled about digging it up. But someone else suggested digging it up and enhancing the soil. So one way or another, I will be digging it up I guess.
So sorry about your tomatoes. I just read that blossom end rot is caused by lack of calcium. Maybe it needs a few Tums! lol
Venice, I wonder if it could be nematodes in the soil? There is one that is called the rootknot nematode. The plant looks like it is not getting enough water when infested with this microscopic worm. here is a link with a little info, and the name of the particular worm so you can google it for control info.
http://nematode.unl.edu/meloidogynespecies_veggie.htm
I looked at several sites and I am beginning to think they affect only veggie and wheat crops planted in moist sandy soil. My soil is mostly clay and it is a wonder that anything is growing. I really don't want to dig it up and take a look at the roots and see if they are knotted. I looked at the photos of them and they are nearly as gross as the slug photos! Yuck! Do you have them down there?
Nematodes seem to be everywhere....even in humans...yeah I know, YUK. There seem to be beneficial as well as destructive nematodes. Here they are in cotton and sweet potatoes and I think sugar cane. One type of nematode feeds on grubs, si that is probably what is in my yard....we have grubs....our grubs have grubs...grin. I think they use that milky spore stuff to control them, but am not sure.
In the link, the page before the one I sent you said nematodes in ornamental plants and vegetables, so they must be a problem in some area to home gardeners.
Do you think I should dig it up and look at the roots now? Maybe it is not getting enough water. I am afraid to do anything to it because I might make it worse. I even kept the fertilizer off it.
It is hard to know when I can fertilize. The next 4 days it is suppose to rain, then maybe dry for 2 days, then rain again. I use MiracleGro in a watering can. Shouldn't the ground be fairly dry before I fertilize?
You don't want to fertilize before a rain, but after a rain is fine. When the ground is already damp, the fertilizer is more likely to seep directly into the root ball and not run off. As to digging it up, I dunno...I would, because at this point what do you have to lose? If this keeps up Wilty will be toast anyway.
Moon -- Are you talking about Wilty? Or this Butterfly Plant?
Both actually Venice....stunted growth and dying leaves....but more so wilty as the test plant to dig up. If you find rootknot in wilty, it is also possible with the buddlejia.
Oooook. I will do that. If I don't see any rootknot, do I just enrich the soil or something else?
Lifting the plant gives you the opportunity to check for rootknot, root rot, or any other problems. If none exist, then yes. Go ahead and do your amendments. Just remember to make the new planting hole about twice the original size. That way, by the time the root ball fills in that area, the roots will be large enough and strong enough to push into the clay.
But, Venice start with Wilty. that way you have a good idea what the problem may be and can figure out how to fix it.
I know this is such a basic question, but what would be best, smallest bag, easy to find that you would suggest to add to my soil.
You want to work organic material into the clay to allow for oxygen to permeate the soil. I would suggest getting some really fine pine bark mulch. You could also add some compost to the bark and mix the clay from the hole in with it. Use a wheel barrow or other container so you can blend the mix.
I would think one bag of each would be more than adequate to take care of your butterfly bush and wilty. You can find bags of varying sizes of both at almost any garden center or big box store with a garden department....you can pretty much gauge the amount you need by the size of the planting hole. You don't want to use potting soil. I know here centers sell bags of both for $3 each for 35- 40 pounds.I am sure that would be more than adequate, you could probably get a small amount if your store carries it.
Ok, fine mulch and compost. Will get it today. Thanks.
Sounds like our weather on your maters venice.
The problem with the cherry tomatoes is that it is too easy to eat them before going into the house!
LOL I know that well!!
I just went out to deadhead my marigolds and I just noticed that I do have that powdery mildew!!!! I thought I had just watered plants when the sun was out and that made the marks. Nope! I really have it! I hate that stuff! And I just ran out of all my spray so I need to go over and get some plus my amendments.
It just goes to show you it is always something my little Roseanne Roseannadanna....at least now you have something concrete to go on.
Moon, do you think I could use the type of mulch I have around my plants now? It is pretty lightweight but it is made from hard and soft wood.
It needs to be fairly small in size, but almost any organic material will be more beneficial than heavy clay. Chopped up leaves,, old grass clippings, crushed egg shells, coffee grounds and fine mulch will all work. If you use green grass clippings, you will need to add extra nitrogen to the mix to off set the grass which uses nitrogen as it breaks down.
Chopped up leaves, crushed egg shells, coffee grounds .......Hmmmmm
all of those went on mom's garden, and she had clay too.
We do the same with my BF's garden too, do to a lot of clay
Well, I sprayed with the fungicide I got from Lowe's. I got 25 lb. Scott's topsoil because it has peat in it. The other things were in very big bags. Also, I have a pot someone gave me of potting soil. You do know that I have just a tiny garden on 3 sides of my patio of my apartment. One side is only 6" wide, another side is 2', and the other is 2 1/2' with the air conditioner in that space. Very tiny!
I don't have leaves, I don't drink ground coffee, and I don't eat that many eggs. If I did, I would dump them all in.
LOL, sorry venice, but that made me laugh.......thanks ^_^
Apartment living has its limitations. But people walk by and say my garden is pretty. Many people here only have a weed gardens!
LOL well venice , I drink tons of coffee, have tons of leaves, and i think my favorite food in the whole world is an egg. lol
No Ma'am, I did not know that.You should when you can invest in an inexpensive ph test kit. If you have a lot of concrete, you may have very alkaline soil low in nutrients. The soil you got should make a difference. I doubt nematodes are a problem, but some plants are very particular about the soil they grow in, with quite a few preferring neutral to slightly acidic soil.
I could have put my lamb's ears stalk in after I removed the seeds. But I have already thrown them out. Wouldn't you know!
