Come on...GROW!!!

[Michigan2Iowa]

I'm a little bored here at work so I thought this topic would be fun:

What plant (be it shrubbery or annual, vine or bulb) simply won't grow for you?

What specemin simply comes out of the ground, turns brown, and leaves you guessing?

My arch enemy:

Lupines

I've tried it all, be it soaking the seeds, or scarification

I've loved them, amended their soil, kept them cool and watered...and then *poof* they're gone.

What was going to be my tall and stately "Lupine paradise"...

is now a rock garden.

-Paul-

[Grey]

This might sound odd because they are supposed to be the easiest things to grow... But they all die on me.

I can grow roses, veggies, huge houseplants, massive African Violets, all kinds of herbs and can even keep zone 10 plants alive through the winter (they're looking great anyway!). But I cannot keep this one kind of plant:

Bromiliads. They just croak. Haven't tried any since moving to GA tho - maybe I'll have better luck here. lol!

[grandpasrose]

Mine is foxgloves. I love them and I have spot where I know they would be just perfect, and for four years now, I have fixed up the soil, planted them, gave them everything they are supposed to have, and by the end of July, I am lucky if they haven't all disappeared!!

Paul - what was your soil PH? Lupines hate alkaline soil and prefer to be on the acidic side.

It's just mother nature reminding us that she is the only one who really knows what is going on!!!

Val

[Michigan2Iowa]

Paul - what was your soil PH? Lupines hate alkaline soil and prefer to be on the acidic side.

Val

Val, my soil acidity should be just right for those stately members of the pea family...I'm afraid its the hot and humid prairie summers that do them in.

As for your foxgloves...those biennial buggers can be a heartbreaker too! Your perfect spot, does it get any afternoon shade? The only spot I can get my "Pam's Choice" to do well in has nice bright morning-to-noon sun and then cool afternoon shade. But hey, just like me with Lupines, I don't think all the advice in the world will ever get them to grow on my plot!

[grandpasrose]

Yes, Lupines like the sun, but like the cool - how do you do that?
My foxgloves get early morning sun, shade from about 9:30 am to about 7:30 pm and then late evening sun. I don't know - I know they are supposed to be poisonous, but maybe I'm poisonous to them!!

Val

[The Helpful Gardener]

I have grown Digitalis in far more light than that, Val; try more light...

As for poisonous, the Latin name may be familiar; a heart medicine is derived from these plants so poisonous is relative to dose...

And Grey, bromeliads are difficult in Florida and just going to get harder the further you come north; sorry but there it is...

Lost my ginseng this year and I'm not sure I can grow this one. Meeting Bill Cullina tomorrow and I'll try to get more info...

Scott

[grandpasrose]

We have fields and fields on farms planted with ginseng up here. Is it a different type I wonder?

Val

[opabinia51]

One word:

JICAMA

can't get the darn seeds to germinate. Thought of trying to do them indoors but, now I can't find the seeds anywhere. (sigh)

[grandpasrose]

So is JICAMA a variety of ginseng Opa?

and Thanks Scott - I'll try moving them a little more into the light this year, and see how they do!

Val

[opabinia51]

No, Jicama is a root vegetable. You can find it in most asian markets.