How tall do these two coneflowers really get? The catalog stated something much taller than mine are growing. They are still in pots because the rabbits love them. Could that be the reason they are only about 8-10 inches tall?
Also the first time they flowered, the flowers were a spectacular orangey pink. Since the first flowers, all the flowers have bloomed pink.
I'm very disappointed and ready to toss them unless I can hear some encouragement that they get better with age.
Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks.
Kay
Information on Twilight and Sundown needed
Mine reached 2-3 ft this year. I think it is their 3rd year. They are in the ground and in full sun. They start off the orangey-pink and then they fade throughout the summer. Hope this helps.
Kay are they newly purchased plants
If so,some growers use 6-BA a plant growth regulator to dwaft plants and cause branching.
They look better in pots if so treated
It may take new growth in the spring to normal size
Charlie
Thanks for the information Celia and Charlie! This is the first year, so maybe the growth regulator is the problem.
I really need to leave them in pots because the blankety blank rabbits love to eat the new growth as it comes out of the ground. We live in a very rural area and have millions of rabbits. Maybe I need to bump them up into larger pots?
Charlie, I am near Poplarville....in the same zone that you are. Do you find any problems with the humidity in your cone flowers?
Also, I've been waiting until they start looking very, very dry before I water, and then I water very generously. Is this the correct watering system?
Also, one more question, do y'all fertilize, and if so, what do you use?
Hey, I KNOW how to grow some plants, but I'm very much a novice to these.
Thanks so much!
Kay
Kay Echinacea are short lived here.
For that reason I only grow them from seed.
I have better luck with Rudbeckia which I also grow from seed
I do not fertilize either one however I believe they do get some runoff from the daylilies
Here is a picture of R."spot light" blooming from this years seed
This is R."cappuccino which also bloomed from seed planted in the spring
Kay my sundown got to be about 3' this year and bloomed a nice orangy red color but I never got to see my twilight blooms because I have the same problem with blankety blank rabbits. I finally put a chicken wire cage around them until they grew out of the I'm so tender and juicy that a blankety blank rabbit can't resist me. But they still never got taller than maybe 12".
dpoitras, how about some rabbit stew? (Grin)
gay you can count me in!! Everytime I see a rabbit in the general area of my yard I chase them away. Must be something to see, me chasing a little bunny down the road with my arm flailing but I can't stand seeing them anywhere near me. Now I walk out the door and if a bunny is near by and sees me they take off running before I get the chance to chase them. sounds quite silly now that I read about it but I will be the alpha rabbit in this neighborhood!
LOL! Our cats catch rabbits believe it or not! They usually eat their heads off and leave the rest on the back porch. UGH! GROSS! I hate to kill God's innocent little creatures who are trying to feed themselves, but I hate for them to eat my plants, too!
What does one do??
As someone who has suffered from rabbit vandalism, I would get more cats!
Bunnies are SO cute!! I love them. BUT NOT IN MY YARD!! AND NOT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD! They tend to be sneaky you know. I heard them outside talking the other night "I think they're alseep, aren't they the ones with the delicious coneflowers? I'll meet you in 10 in the garden by the deck" I couldn't believe my ears! I put my cats outside but they licked themselves for about 2 minutes and came back in and went to sleep!! GAY, can I barrow your cat??
LOL! Yes! By all means you can borrow him or both of them for that matter. They are 9 year old brothers and would be lost without each other.
Do you have a power washer for your deck when they leave the guts and blood all over it?
I don't know how to mail a cat, but I guess we could find out! LOL
Actually we do have a power washer!! My cats like mice or baby rabbits but they prefer to eat indoors! And the little lovelies don't always eat it all so they make sure they put the remains where I can't find them easily! Have I mentioned I will NEVER have pets again! Not even a goldfish! I'll check with the postal service on how to mail live animals!! ;)