Hi,
Just needed to find out about trimming this back. It had gotten pretty dried out and looks kind of leggy. Should I cut it back or leave it alone. It does have new buds setting.
Thanks!
JanetS
Red Coreopsis "Limerock Ruby"
Eerie. I just asked about my Limerock Rubies and whether it was okay to trim now (a few threads below yours). Mine are not dried out, but they got too tall to hold up the flowers and flopped over in all directions.
I think maybe I watered mine *too* much last month or something.
Anyway, I hope to get the answer, on your thread or mine. :D
You know...I have the same problem. The plant flops over. I thought the problem was that it was in an area that got some afternoon shade and that it had gotten too leggy. Hmmm. I wonder if this is simply a problem with this variety?
Thripmaster, I have one that gets sun all day and one that gets afternoon sun only. They're both doing it.
I had one last year that stayed pretty at about 20" tall and wide, and it bloomed into the fall. However it did not survive the wet winter. The two new ones were planted in the same bed in April and stayed tiny for the longest time. I thought they were not going to do well. Then last month they decided to get huge all at once-- they're both nearly 30" tall and about a yard wide now. They got so big they were covering up other plants, so I had to move one.
The one I moved doesn't seem to love the afternoon sun, it wilts a bit every day, then perks up by morning. But both of them are floppy now that the buds have open.
I'd like to give them both a good haircut and see if that makes them stronger and more upright. But I don't want to permanently lose the flowers, as I have no guarantee these two will survive to bloom another year.
Sounding like plant habit - mine does it too...I am really disappionted in it myself...
>>Sounding like plant habit
Yeah, but can we cut it? :D
Ah, I don't know. Maybe this weekend I'll take one for the team and go "reduce" one of my two, see what happens.
This message was edited Jun 28, 2005 9:58 AM
Well, I may just cut back the stems that are not budding and see if they will branch, or die back...looks like we could find out for sure. My other yellow one isn't as tall and it too will flop if it rains. I do pull off the flower buds once the close to try to keep it blooming and not seeding. It does seed well too!
Janet
Let me know what happens. I just went outside and took a look at mine. It could be pretty in the right location. Maybe sort of hanging over the side of a rock garden? Somewhere on the edge so it can flop and still be seen. I'm thinking of moving mine...unless your does better when cut back.
Will do.
Janet
Here is mine flopping over in the back bed:
Here's the other one burying its neighbors:
I think I'd get the most immediate benefit from trimming the one out front, so I will grit my teeth and do it this weekend.
You know...yours actually look sort of pretty...in a messy kind of way!
We have had long discussions about this plant, I even raised plugs one year in my GH to sell. When it first came out it was labeled a perenniel. The consensus here after a pretty good discussion was that this plant is probably not a perenniel. It is certainly a pretty plant and grows vigorously but I have now gone back to growing the bright yellow threadleaf coreopsis. I don't even know the particular cultivar name but one thing for me for certain is that this is perenniel.
It was just suggested to me on another thread to try to support the plant rather than cutting it back-- and I think there are some plant hoops or tomato cages in hubby's shed, so I'm going to give that a shot first.
Let's hope the bees let me get close enough to try...
Plant hoops are the way to go, guys. I put hoops around both of my offenders this morning, about 6-7" above the ground, and they already look much better.
I'm sure I lost a few stems, because I heard them cracking while I was gathering them into the hoop. But most of the plant is contained now, and after the flowers reorient themselves I think they'll look great.
I guess this is the equivalent of putting an underwire bra on someone who really really needs one. :D
Yea....sometimes you just need a little support to look your best. Happens to the best of us! Let's not judge poor Limrock too harshly.
I spent $ for this potted last year. Figuring it to be like my yellow, I cut it back half and waited for more blooms which is got, but it didn't come back this year and without the ability to go to seed, it didn't self-seed. I really thought it was beautiful next to my Sea Lavender (a purple/red thing) but now see it may be an annual after all. If anyone has a small piece they could trade for something, I'd love to have it again and give it another shot.
Roni
ELizabethtown, The one I bought for my husband last year didn't survive the winter either, but we had a seriously wet winter here and my soil has bad drainage anyway. So I will probably have to replace mine every year too.
When is the best time to divide these things, anyway? After they stop blooming in the fall?
Some pics of my coreopsis today:
Still a bit lopsided, but much neater than before:
Perhaps it would do well around a bush, or in a bulb garden with other plants as the supports. I think I will try to put mine where it will have iris or something to have as support close by. I am really into using other plants as support instead of staking, but I do stake if needed.
JanetS
Looking very pretty. I think the support bra becomes her.
Very nice.....vast improvement. Should look even better next year after having actually grown up inside the frame. Very very pretty (gotta get some of that) :-)
Marc
~BeginnerLucky
Looks beautiful staked up, makes a huge difference in appearance!!! The red is very sharp. I have some young plants of the yellow, I see now from your pic I will have to hunt down some red as well.
Beautiful pic !!
~Julie =0)
Very nice with the lily and gailardia. I love the echo of brick red in your pic.
I don't have this plant but was reading the forum and saw where some were using a support for them. I use old wire coat hanger as a support for plants that are low growing and floppy. I straighten the hook and that goes in the ground and the hanger part can be shaped to form a circle for the plant. I don't think they can be bought anywhere but come when you get clothes from the dry cleaners. I got mine from where I work as I had to wear a uniform and when we got them back from being cleaned they were on these hangers. Just wanted to throw a helping hand in if any one wants one.
That's a great idea. I have some "floppy" plants that this would work great on.
Just bought the last one at the local nursery and it looks like your first picture. Just hope it survives the transplant, haircut, and winter.
Janet, do you have any dried seed heads you could send me if I send you a bubble envelope? It looks like something I would like to try. Tnanks, Jeanette
Yes, I do have some seeds. I would happy to send you some. My address is in the exchange.
Janet