ann m

For any green fingered experts out there (hopefully Surrey Expat might reply!). Anyone else bored by this subject can go off into snooze mode now!

Ok - so last year I invested in various perennials and some bigger shrubs for my garden (many hundreds of dollar's worth but don't tell hubby). I carefully studied all the labels regarding temperature tolerances, but to be honest, what is the point of an Albertan garden centre selling perennials that won't live here? So I took it as read on some plants.

I bought several particular plants that were a little bigger and more mature to give some immediate height (Viburnum Snowball, Dogwood, Elderberry, etc). My question is ; why is all the new growth from the bottom of the plant this year?! I was hoping for some 'continued' growth onto the current height so as to give me an even bigger plant this year. My 'Snowball' in the UK was 4-5 feet in no time at all. This one doesn't look it will get past 18 inches this year now.

I was told to keep receipts last year as the plants all had a one year guarantee. These plants are still alive and well, but have gone back to ground level. Any idea why, or what I can do at the end of this season to attempt to get back a bigger plant? (I have read all the labels, by the way, and complied with advice!)

And - one other question - does anyone else have a failure rate of about 30% on new plants not making it through the winter. For example, I bought a few Chrysanth's for some gaudy colour, two have re-appeared and one has not. The Sea Holly (Eryngium) have not come up at all, appear dead as a dead thing, one Geranium out of two, one Thrift out of two, all the Astilbe's were good, Echinops were good, Heuchera, two out of three; it all seems a bit hit and miss !

For the record I rarely killed off stuff in the UK, so I am solely blaming Alberta at the mo. What did I do wrong, or what can I do from now on !?

And finally, my tulips were fantastic, but not one daffodil emerged whole. And pansies that I inadvertently left in last year are blooming again beautifully; now how the heck did they survive?

JonboyE

I don't have Surrey Expat's expertise, but I imagine it may be to do with the type and condition of your soil. Just because a plant can tolerate a zone 3 winter in sandy soil winter doesn't mean it will if it is planted in wet, heavy clay. Also, there may be micro climates within your yard - a south facing wall my suit zone 3 plants, but a north facing one may need plants that can tolerate a zone 2 winter.

Steve_P

I am not a gardener that's Mrs_P's domain.

However remember those chinooks that we all welcomed. Well to put it bluntly they are hell on plants, it warms things up enough that the plants start to think spring then the cold weather returns and freezes the poor buggers. :curse:

Flogger

I do believe you need to stick them in dirt and pour water over them from time to time.

Hope this helps

sinope

I think this is probably the reason - soil temperatures and positioning within the garden have a huge influence on how well plants will do. Can you talk to the people at the garden centre? They may be able to advise on encouraging growth etc.

Steve is correct too - warm weather that gets the sap rising followed by a cold snap is not good for plants, even hardy ones, as can really knock them back.

ann m

Yep, thanks Jon - appreciate this - all the same plants are together, so only about 18 inches between some of them but one came up and the other didn't, for example.

I did wonder - that is quite likely Steve

By jove, I think he's got it

Thanks sinope - will be speaking to garden centre anyway - I guess I'm just miffed