Does anyone know if putting cow manure in the area where there is periwinkle, will help the periwinkle to spread faster? I planted some periwinkle, and it is doing "fairly" well....nothing really spectacular yet for the amount that I planted and heard that periwinkle does spread. I am wondering what would help it to spread faster?
Any help with this, sure would be appreciated.
Dormguard
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rainbowgardener
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The manure, if well aged, wouldn't hurt, but it is just going to take a little patience. I don't know when you planted it, but it takes a season or two to get well established and then it will take off. I hope you have it in an area where it can be contained or once it takes off, it will swallow the neighborhood. Personally, I call it forest killer and I hate the stuff.
But it does need some shade and does better with at least slightly acidic soil. And if you put the manure down, be sure to mix it in. The periwinkle (aka vinca minor aka crepe myrtle) will root where ever the stems touch the soil, IF the stems can touch the soil. If you have mulch or something covering the soil, that will slow it down a lot.
But it does need some shade and does better with at least slightly acidic soil. And if you put the manure down, be sure to mix it in. The periwinkle (aka vinca minor aka crepe myrtle) will root where ever the stems touch the soil, IF the stems can touch the soil. If you have mulch or something covering the soil, that will slow it down a lot.
I started planting Periwinkle in 2009, and put it on a bank. I can't say that it has "really taken off". I don't have anything covering it, but I can tell it has spread somewhat....I'm just not impressed with the rate it has spread in that people say it is a very invasive and agressive plant. Right now it is flowering, which is good. This year, I actually didn't think I would have to plant anymore of it, but I still see so many spaces where it should have spread by now (I would think. ). I guess I won't be getting the cow manure. I have used some type of hormone enhancement for the plant and also some type of "miracle gro " when I do plant the periwinkle roots. In that same area, I have planted Phlox, which is doing just o.k. It's not dying but hasn't spread very much in the 2 years that I have planted it. I guess there is nothing out there spectacular to make the phlox and periwinkle spread quicker and better. This bank is land that looks better with the Phlox and periwinkle than just plain dirt and weeds; so that is why I am doing it, and it hasn't grown into the backyard lawn whatsoever.
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GardeningCook
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Well...it is not dark, rich soil, but it is decent. Some sun, and some shade. I was wondering if having the snow and leaves covering the periwinkle would hurt it spreading further? The snow disappears, and I rake gently, leaves or whatever might be covering the periwinkle. I water quite a bit, especially now in the spring, I think that might be important to do....whereas any other year, I didn't water until summer when it would get really dry.
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GardeningCook
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In my experience, Vinca/Periwinkle vines really do best in either full sun or part shade, & in friable soil with a decent amount of organic matter. No extra fertilizing or any other attention necessary, except for extra watering while the plants are getting established. Without the first two requirements met, it will probably take quite a long time for your plants to really establish themselves, if they ever do.
As an example, I have some inherited Periwinkle planted beneath some mature White Pines when we bought our farm back in 1996. While the soil is beautiful, there's too much shade, so while the Periwinkle has survived & sporadically bloomed, the spread is still skimpy after all these years. Up by the house where it was planted in beautiful compost-enriched soil in full sun, it's almost become a weed that I have to pull at least once a season.
Culture/environment is everything.
As an example, I have some inherited Periwinkle planted beneath some mature White Pines when we bought our farm back in 1996. While the soil is beautiful, there's too much shade, so while the Periwinkle has survived & sporadically bloomed, the spread is still skimpy after all these years. Up by the house where it was planted in beautiful compost-enriched soil in full sun, it's almost become a weed that I have to pull at least once a season.
Culture/environment is everything.
Well...I was thinking of putting about a 1/2 " layer of cow manure around the planted periwinkle on the bank; possibly that could help it to spread? It is good on the bank, and from nothing to well over 150 periwinkle plants blooming, it is nice to look at, but I was surprised that it didn't take off and spread that much; even after using the Hormex on the roots. Now if I plant again, I am going to use Miracle Gro and cow manure. I just wanted the bank there to be completely covered, and thought I filled up the spaces last spring with planting again, but obviously there are still more spaces to be filled. Sometimes I think, that possibly some animal might be taking them? I heard that deer stay away from periwinkle and packasandra. I will try again with the Miracle Gro and possibly the cow manure. This time , I was even thinking of going to the store and buying periwinkle instead of digging it up in areas of the land we have where it can be spared; but that can get costly buying it from a nursery. Any other suggestions, sure would be appreciated. I just water them now, almost every 3 days or so, because we haven't had much rain lately here.