dahlias have tubers, no? (annuals)
Spectacular 2007 Cottage Garden Seed Swap #5
Wind, Tha is an inspiration picture I picked up somewhere (prob on DG) It's somehting I want to do. I enver thought of them as container plants, but I believe they would be ideal!
PC & Wrightie, Yes, the Nasties with the tubers are perennials. Same with dahlias. Yes, they are both perennials -- too bad we all don't live in Zone 11 Mexico where they will live through the winter, tho. LOL!
Suzy
Suzy, I was talking about the blue nasties (sounds like something from an old Beatles movie!). About storing the tubers. I looked on PF, and it seems like some nasturtiums have tubers and some don't. If I had ever looked when I yanked them out of the ground in early summer, I guess I'd know that. Anyway, I read what Ursula said about how to grow them, somewhat humid soil and don't overwater. Shumway says they are perennial in Z 7-9, so I'm going to give them a try. I'll plant some in the garden and some in a hanging planter just to see where they work best. We all have such varying temps and conditions I guess the bottom line is to go for it and see what happens. Please let me know how yours do.
Wind, your arrangement of peach melba, geraniums and red cannas sounds great! Even though I mostly have pink, purple and yellow in the garden, I love reds and yellows together, especially for bouquets in the house. Go figure. I might try something like that in pots on the deck, Already have the red canna. :)
Peggy
Oh, Suzy, I just saw your picture with the geraniums and nasturtiums. It's lovely.
Peggy
well, by gum, that makes me a big fat dummie now, doesn't it?
No - no, wrightie, not a dummie - you're a hardy perennial!!
LOL! That was nice, Dryad; she is a *hardy* perennial!
Wrightie, it is extrememly difficult to get accurate information on some things, and I have seen many (most?) commercial seed houses list things as annuals because of where they know their customers live and how they buy. Things are listed as annuals because a listing like this doesn't sell seed:
Dahlia Perennial Z10-11, or annual Z3-8 I'm assuming they think their customers will read the first part and think they can't grow it, and the second part and worry whether it will bloom the first year. Or early enough in the summer to make it worth their while.
So if it's listed as an annual everywhere you read about it, how are we mere mortals supposed to know they are tropical perennials?
Budbloom, I want to make sure you read that it isn't my pot, it's just one I want to copy this year because I was so taken with it. I thought it was so much nicer than the perfect ones you see that are "just so". (A couple of dead and dying leaves and I loved the price tag attached to the pot where you could see it LOL!) I'm pretty sure it's one from the container growing forum.
Suzy
This message was edited Jan 5, 2008 11:53 AM
This reminds me of an old joke ... "She ain't real bright, but she sews *all* of her own clothes."
Okay... I'm wondering if that explains the petunia on my porch that still has green on it, despite some very cold nights, maybe below the teens in temps (but near the house so probably a bit warmer....) I just can't imagine them being perennial, though.
p'cat - is it possible they're in a little micro-climate? If they're close to the house that could be the little bit they need to hang on.
Yup, absolutely they're in a microclimate - south side of a brick house, lol. But it still has gotten *very* cold, and that's the only reason I wonder. I don't really think they even care too much for cooler weather - aren't they hot weather flowers?
Yeah, they can take it hot, but don't underestimate how much heat that brick is storing up - it sounds like it's just enough to keep that baby protected - neat!! (And it may be in the perfect spot for a wind-break too.)
BTW Suzy...I noticed in some garden catalogs they list peach melba as a semi double bloom??? so there goes my theory to verify id
I went on a search for that photo I told you about of nasturtiums in a pot...had to copy and paste it into a file to post it....now that I see it, it dosn't look all that great but it was really pretty in person :)
Yes! That is what I want -- are those minature sunflowers? Are they in the pot, or are they in the garden behind it? I would want those in the pot. I guess I should say "IT" in the pot, not "they" There would only be room for one.
Do you remember the name of the nasturtiums? It's a totally different look than the photo I posted. More cottagey
Suzy
oh I have no idea of what kind they were ~
the sunflower may have sprouted in the pot because they have alot of bird feeders and wildlife there
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=4354753
My Blue Nasturtiums have started germinating, but the seedlings are very strange looking -- just a thread. This is surprising to me because the seeds were rather large.,...I would have expected a sturdy seedling and not this little thread.
I planted all 4 seeds in a 4" pot as per the directions, and I planted 3 pots (I bought 3 packages). One seedling has germinated out of every pot, but that still leaves 3 seedlings unaccounted for in each pot. I need to return them to the cold. I think the safest things is to root around the pot for the seeds and move those instead of plucking out the germinated one, which is what I would normally do.
Did anybody else buy the Tropaeolum azureum?
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=4354753
I haven't, but I've been eyeing them for a while now and was thinking of taking the plunge soon.
I've not started my Nasties yet, but I'll look to see if I have the azureum. I guess I'm a bit confused on those, as some people start them now, and others just direct sow....
This is the tropical one, Dryad, it needs to germinate in cool temperatures, but can't freeze. (Same as regular Nasties, except they can freeze). The tropical one maybe can't go below 40 degrees, not sure. You might have seen it on Ursula's list. I think a friend of yours is grtting some newbie seeds from her and it could be in there.
ahhhh - that explains it! Thank you Illustrious One :)