Where should I plant my Gaura & Rosemary?

Good Morning,

I have a very hot sunny sloped bank that I plan to add a few more plants to. I just bought some Gaura: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/64622/index.html, and some Rosemary: http://davesgarden.com/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=rosemary&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=with&Search=Search . The top part of the bank is the hottest and dryest, since my sprinklers only lightly spritz this area. The mexican sage that is next to the circled area is suffering because of this. (I'm hoping it will adapt since this is it's first summer.) The area to the right and lower will get a little late afternoon shade and much more water. Which of the two varieties above will do best in the hot dry area? They both say they're drought tolerant, but that's what the mexican sage said too! Please help.

Thank you, Christina :)

This message was edited Jul 14, 2006 6:48 AM

This message was edited Jul 14, 2006 6:49 AM

cnswift, drought tolerant means "once they get established".They've got to develop a good root system for that first, so they're going to need more water in the beginning. Is it possible to wait several months to plant so that the winter rains will help establish them? That's always hard for me to do,bcause I want to do it *now*, but the plants will be stressed if planted now and you can't get enough water to them,whereas if you can wait they'll be in good shape for fall planting and probably get a healthier start. That area looks nice,BTW.
Sherry

This message was edited Jul 14, 2006 8:00 PM

This message was edited Jul 14, 2006 8:06 PM

That's what I figured, so I've been watering the sage a ton and keep adding more mulch to keep it moist.

I've already purchased the plants, and I'm ready to compost/mulch the whole hill so I wanted all my planting to be done. So no, I guess I'm just too impatient now that my project is almost near completion. Plus, we live in Southern California - what rain??? lol

The area is actually very well irrigated, but the tip-top is just barely within range so it doesn't get a good soaking like the rest.

Thanks for the compliment! I've been working hard digging among the clay soil and the huge boulders! :)

I have my rosemary out near the street in a bed I hardly ever water and it just thrives. I don't have the other one so I can't help there.

Good to hear! I was hoping it would be like that, since I really wanted something not too fussy. I ended up planting them both on the right side which is less hot, but rosemary on top with less water and the other directly below it with more water. They've been in four days and noone has wilted so that's a good sign. It was 98 today, so it was a true test. :)

Thanks!

Swift,

I have both Rosemary and Gaura. I live on a sand hill in the middle of pine woods. Plenty of sun and any watering I do, doesn't soak very far.

I have mine in 3 different places, mostly full sun, some morning sun and some afternoon sun, in summer.

Once established they just don't seem to be fussy at all and are doing a great job of looking good.

Molly
:^)))

good to hear, thanks! No fuss is what I was going for. :)

Just make sure you give the rosemary good drainage. they can get root rot with wet roots all of the time in the winter.

Since it's on a hill it's more of a problem keeping it hydrated as the water tends to drain completely away in a short while. I mulch and mulch and mulch, which seem so to be the best bet. :)

I think as time goes on and they get better established you may find that they do fine without the mulch (and you may want to remove the mulch for the winter to give them more chance to dry out--I don't know how much rain you get down there, but I know up here they need all the help they can get to avoid being too soggy)

good point, thanks.

Do you have photos of how they're growing? :-)

CN,

This is true, after established they won't care if they have mulch or not.

I wanted to share this with you. It's sitting in sand. Although this plant did bloom already this year, it sat for a couple weeks with only minimal blooms on it. The other day I noticed this:

We have some wild gaura that grows here, so hybrids don't have a problem either, perfectly happy.

This message was edited Aug 7, 2006 2:52 PM

That is so pretty. I love the little pink flowers.

I have bad news on the Guara...the bunnies ate them ALL! They were listed on the rabbit resist list, but apparently my bunnies can't read. I am trying again, this time with Salvia with a similar flower. They too were on the list, but their leaves feel more course and less appetizing? Let's hope anyway. They haven't touched the rosemary however, so at least I have half a success!

I'll try to remember to take a photo or two tomorrow, for a show and tell. :)

I hope this shows up ok, the sun is in a steep angle at this time of the morning. The rosemary and salvia are off to the right, just above that cluster of biggish rocks. They're kind of small so they don't look like much yet, but I'm sure in no time they'll be big and strong (let's hope anyway).

Christina :~)

This message was edited Aug 8, 2006 7:29 AM

That's going to grow in beautifully. Too bad about the gaura. I have it for the first time this year, and I'd like to put in more. I've got a lot of rosemary, too - it's one of my favorite shrubs and culinary herbs. :-)
Thanks for sharing!

Thank you, I hope so too. I have such a hard time finding things to plant that won't be obliterated by the rabbits. I just dug up 4 verbenas today that were chewed to death and before that I had ground morning glories that were the meal du jour. Grrrrr.

hmmm...that's really a problem. Want to adopt a dog? I've got some fabulous rescue critters available....:-) That might make them find a little new turf.

(Just kidding, though my adoptees are wonderful.)

I actually just adopted a yellow lab from lab rescuers in March. The bunnies are not phased a bit, they just wait until she goes to sleep. "Lola" thinks the little surprises they leave behind are great m&m's - it's so gross! Good for you to take in rescue animals, that's a wonderful thing to do.

You are right about those bunnies, they are way too smart. The dog scent keeps a lot of critters out all the time, but not all the critters all the time.

I saw my first cottontail yesterday when I opened the front door. I have seen his scat around, but never saw him. I think since he ate all my other salad fixin's he's now decided he likes my maters too.

Molly
:^)))

P.S. Time to spread some moth balls out around my food plants I think.

Ah...yellow lab, how nice. Congratulations!

Mothballs, eh ? I don't have anything that eats my stuff (yet). I expect the bear will try for the fruit trees eventually, since they are out of dog range, but then, he's got plenty of wild fruit to eat without coming so close to the house.

4Paws, I don't know if the moth balls will work for those critters, I am told they will work to keep the snakes out of the pumphouse/toolshed. Why not a rabbit or armadillo or whatever else. It would be a pretty cheap failure in any event.

I want to get some green beans planted for the fall crop specially since my spring crops were a total bust.

Reminder, get some beans today when you pick up the mothballs.

:^))))

:-)

Does that really work on bunnies - moth balls? Could I put them under the mulch and have them still be effective?

Thanks for the congrats on our doggie. She's such a sweet girl

This message was edited Aug 10, 2006 8:24 PM