I planted polemonium/Jacob's Ladder and Dicentra/Bleeding heart (white) for the first time this season. Both bloomed and grew beautifully in the spring and early summer in my shady woodland garden area. Last month, when it got real hot, they both went dormant - at least I hope that what they did. If indeed they are dormant - and not dead - my question is: Do I keep watering them during this time?
Same amount of water? Less?
Thanks!
Deb
dormant polemonium and dicentra?
Dicentra definitely goes dormant in the heat of summer. I'm not sure about the Polemonium--I've grown a couple different kinds and never had them go dormant on me, but you might be growing a different variety than the ones I did, or your summer temps may be hotter than mine.
Ecrane: Oh golly, I hope the polemonium isn't dead.
Do you know if I should keep up the same amt of water for the dicentra?
Deb
No idea about the water, sorry--I only grew Dicentra one year and I continued watering it with the rest of my garden because there weren't really any other options. It didn't come back the following year, but there are so many other reason why that could have happened, I have no idea if it was the watering or not (my garden was mostly xeriscape stuff, so I was only watering once a week and we don't get any rain in the summer, so it wasn't getting a ton of water).
My dicentra go dormant I do not water them ,but they are among hosta and I do water the whole bed once a week if we don't get rain.
Cinda
Ecrane and Gardengus: Thanks, sounds like I should just keep doing what I'm doing with the Dicentra.
If anyone stops by and knows anything re/ the polemonium, please let me know~!
Thanks,
Deb
I don't know anything about dicentra, but I'm growing a polemonium, Stairway to Heaven, and it's not dormant at all. We've had extreme heat this summer, though our humidity is lower than yours, and it's coming through fine. It's even beginning to recover its variation. Here's a photo next to my mildewed columbine. The polemonium needs more water than the columbine. This is its second year. It made it through the worst winter we've had in years with lots of ice and snow, and only some shredded cedar bark mulch for protection.
This message was edited Aug 16, 2007 9:52 AM
Oh no, now I'm thinking they've died from lack of water...although I watered them regularly throughout the spring and summer so far. I know they're prone to crown rot, but I'm sure I didn't over water. We've had a very hot and dry summer. Feeling sad now... :(
This is the one I have:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/56492/
Deb
Deb, 'Bressingham Purple' has been a little bugger for us. Thought we "lost" it one summer but it reappeared the next. After the second summer of stressing out in the heat, it disappeared altogether. We have a friend who lives in the DC area however, much warmer than it is here, and her plant is absolutely beautiful - go figure!
Debbie :)
Mine died back in the heat. We had heat in the high 90s and heat indexes in the 100-106 range. I am hoping that it is just the heat anyway. This was its first year from seed, in my sun garden. Guess I oughta move it to the shade garden if I try it next year.
Debbie and Dylancgc:
I was able to find a little information on the web that indicates that there are varieties (Bress. Purple included) that can go dormant in hot months. Mine is in shade and I've been giving it just enough water to keep it from being totally dried out.
I'll be disappointed if it never returns because it bloomed so beautifully and looked so nice for so long.
Dylan, let me know if your comes back?
Deb