GordonHawk said:..but that doesn't mean your nursery plant ever saw it as it sat inside under some filtered light sun cloth ...or ever felt the wind...or the evaporative powers real sunlight brings with it...full exposure might have been too much to intergrate into the world as it had known it for all of it's life...just a consideration..

Always amazes me at some of the Big Box Garden centers with Bananas, mandavilla, dipledenia, cannas etc in an area shaded with one of the screens. Across the way is Rhododendrons and Azaleas in Full sun. What in the world is wrong with these folks?

I did pick up 4 Rhodis the other day in just such a location. Looked ragged fer sure, but not beyond hope. Two $ each for my new shaded garden.

DavidLMO said:Big Box Garden centers ... What in the world is wrong with these folks?

They are NOT plantsmen.
They are sales clerks.

It's pretty normal for my plants to burn up here, when they wouldn't if they were down south, there's just so many factors that are environmental... Drives me nuts to see my stuff roast in a day of Kentucky sun, and others in Florida ride it out all day!


I'm surprised to have not had more trouble, it dipped into the 40's for 3 nights, I thought all the tropicals would shut down! Of course this week it's been 90/70 with more of the same forecast! If they had shutdown, that would have burned them right up!
I think me watering actually helped, it was odd, usually the hose water feels soooo cold, but ground temps were still very high, about 20 degrees higher than air temp, so it might have felt like a warm shower.
I did have a few puny plants rot from being wet and cold, always the "important" ones... Oh well!

Swayback .. I feel yer pain. This season has been really weird for me. Biggest problem is with seedlings which for some reason refuse to grow. I have Brugmansia and Datura (among many others) that reached ~ 3 - 7 inches and just stopped growing. And certain plants that should be blooming, aren't - like 3 different types of milkweed that simply refuse to bloom.

Oh well - my Brugmansia is blooming so that makes me feel better. One I grew from seed last year is up to ~ 4 1/2 feet high and refuses to Y. :-)

WRT weather - I have had to break down and water in-ground plants. 3 times over the past couple weeks. sigh.

Back to the 90s all week and no rain in sight.

David do you have brugs to trade/sell next Spring? If so keep me in mind. I have grown them but not now. I am wanting to have a small concentrated tropical area. Canna, calla, mandevilla, EEs and mayb a brug or two. Dreaming of next season all ready

bluegrassmom said: Dreaming of next season all ready

Me, too!

I have to water 2-3 times a day, even then stuff wilts down or just plain burns up...crispy!

This year my castors are the biggest I've had, about a month ago they started burning and dropping leaves from the bottom, even when well watered! I think they couldn't keep up with translocating enough water to the leaves.

I always start bummin about living here this time of the year... But by March I start feeling better

bluegrassmom said:David do you have brugs to trade/sell next Spring? If so keep me in mind.

If they ever start growing, I might :=) I am truly bewildered as to why things are not growing for me this year - oh well.

I got some Brug seeds from an excellent hybridizer - Arghya gardens - Dorthea x Berkonigan. Potted them up, they got to about 5 - 6 " and just stopped. And not just them - most everything. For example, I also got some Commiphora neglecta (very rare - 8 - 12 " plant goes for $30) from Arghya too. Same story - got to be ~ 4 " tall and just stopped. They were both planted MONTHS ago.

I have a Brugmansia arborea that I grew from seed last year. That sucker is ~ 5 feet tall, but it has not Yed yet. grrrrr

crittergarden said:

Me, too!

Me 3. I am working/planning on stuff 2 years out. For example, a new shade garden that I am building up by filling a ravene with leaves, grass clippongs, yard waste, etc. So far I have built that area up ~ 6 + feet, but I need another foot or so. I already have planted parts of the periphery with azaleas, rhododendrons and paw paws (Missouri bananas). :-)

Have been working on the area since 2010 when I bought this house. When done, the area will be 250 - 400 sq ft of "re"claimed space. Was a 45 degree grade.

Hmmm, gardening does have it quirks doen''t it. Hopefully, things will do better for you.

Hi all, writing from the very North, Alaska. Well right now I am in the much more temperate Zone of Vancouver. But a few days ago I was in Alaska and much to my surprise they had Palms growing in many of the Gardens we visited. We were told that Windmill Palms are hardy in Alaska and only need to be wrapped to keep them in good shape from one year to the next. I was wondering if any of you have Windmill Palms or know anything about them. Going to be doing some investigating when I get home.

HollyAnnS said: Going to be doing some investigating when I get home.

Sure sounds promising!

Trachycarpus fortunei the windmill Palm, is the most cold resistant palm around, it's marginally hardy in z6 with no help! If you wrap and mulch them they can go further north.
There's also atleast 2 other that can be hardy here. Bismarckia nobilis, the Bismarck Palm is one, they're gorgeous! But the least hardy of the 3, wrapping is often required to get them through winter in z6.
Sabal minor the dwarf saw palmetto is also very hardy! Maybe as hardy as the windmill is.
The problem is, the grow very slow up here, 3 new leaves a year would be considered good growth! And as the age, they often become LESS hardy, eventually they start to grow up, and make a trunk, at that point there heart of the plant is above ground, and that means they are far less protected from the elements in winter.
The point is, yes we can get away with a few small palms, but don't expect them to become the iconic palms you see down south, and do expect some extra attention and work to get them through... Also... Be prepared for disappointment, even if you do everything right, they still might die...

Thanks for the info Swayback. I think the Bismark Palm is my most favorite palm. May have to try one and see how it does. I won't be doing anything till next Spring, if I do give them a try I want them to be well rooted before Winter.

I underestimated how tall the Canna would get.

Evan, my Sunset Canna gets about 7' tall when grown with lots of sun, about the same height as my White Butterfly Ginger. I just plant both together for their contrasting colors. When grown in mostly shade, they both only get around 5' tall.

I've learned my lesson Ken. Especially with the Musifolia types but most especially with southern grown tubers. Outstanding!

These tall, flowering plants work well for me. They grow in front of 20+' evergreens, so even at 7', they are dwarfed by a solid screen of green.

eclayne said:I underestimated how tall the Canna would get.

I have some that are > 8 feet tall here in Zone 5 B. These are ones that I leave in the ground over winter.

All mind stay in-ground. I am simply estimating 7' as the average on those that get a good deal of sun. It is almost amazing how lack of sun affects their height, canna and ginger.