Monday, September 10, 2012

Wait! I’m not done…

The last yellow flower on my three tall Verbascum olympicum dried up sometime around the beginning of August. Contrary to my reputation as a “neat freak” I was enjoying their brown candelabras and not yet ready to cut them down, even though the foliage was starting to die too.

Turns out there are rewards for procrastinating, as they’re blooming all over again!

Is this normal?

I know many plants will reward those who cut them back with new growth and continued blooms, but there was no cutting back here.

Some of my Echium russicum are doing the same thing, flowers emerging from the bloom spikes I left in place.

Somewhat along the same lines (but not really) there is plenty of new foliage on the Sonchus canariensis which was completely defoliated in early August.

Plants always keep you guessing don’t they?

26 comments:

  1. Plants are full of surprises aren't they? Not sure about the Verbascums but nice bonus indeed!

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    1. I like the happy surprises so much more than the unhappy ones!

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  2. Cool! That yellow of the mullein is one of my favorite shades. My Phygelius 'Passionate' is reblooming, but I cut the spent stalks about 5 weeks ago in traditional fashion...I'll take it, whatever!

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    1. Look at you being all proactive! I am impressed.

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  3. They sure do! I've had plants rebloom without cutting back too. They might have rebloomed quicker if you had cut them back. My usual practice is to take notes, and do things differently next year. Ha! Like that ever happens.

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    1. I always intend to do things differently too (better) but sometimes things just get away from us!

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  4. wonderful surprises!! Now you have me wanting to go investigate if I have any garden surprises.

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    1. And if you do I look forward to reading about them!

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  5. Your plants heard about the endless summer thing that Louis and you are planning and decided they liked the idea! Congratulations on your Sonchus canariensis reviving; mine is beginning to look horrible now. I think that mites might be the culprit.

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    1. That's it, yes! Endless summer....

      I am sorry to hear about your Sonchus, will you treat it with something?

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  6. I hope my plants will reward me like that. We're months behind on deadheading.

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    1. I hope they do too, certainly there must be something in your garden that will respond favorably!

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  7. Hooray!

    Your Sonchus came good again.

    It must be in a different timezone to most of the other stuff you grow.

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    1. Yes that's what I was told by Mr. Hogan, owner of Cistus Nursery (where there is one about 8 ft tall!), it just naturally goes dormant. I'll try not to stress when/if it does the same thing next year.

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  8. Wow, that's pretty wonderful. If Verbascum looked that good in my garden I'd grow it here but I've never had that nice a bloom on it. Great surprise

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    1. I feel your pain! My first foray into growing Verbascum failed miserably, well at least in the bloom department. The foliage was fabulous and then they decided to bloom right before we had a hard freeze. Not good timing.

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  9. I love when laziness -- er, I mean, patience -- rewards us in the garden. Does it get you wondering though, how doubly amazing might the second blooms have been if you had removed the first spikes?

    I think that way a lot, but the super-patient way usually wins out. Maybe even a few years in a row.

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    1. Maybe, but I wouldn't have just removed the first spikes...if I were to have done anything I would have pulled the whole plant since it's a biennial and doomed now that it's bloomed.

      I wonder if being patient will reward me with lots of seedlings all about which I can share with friends? Only time will tell...

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  10. Indian Summer! It rejuvenates gardens and gardeners.

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    1. Well since it's still technically REAL SUMMER I'm not yet prepared to discuss Indian Summer...of course I hope with all my heart that we get one! (sorry I had to give you a hard time, since I've endured my quota of hearing that summer is over...WHEN IT'S NOT!)...

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  11. I like those kinds of surprises. Enjoy the new yellows in the garden. Very pretty plant.

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    1. It is a pretty plant...and I'll miss the big floppy felty leaves most of all.

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  12. I bought 3 V. nigrum last weekend at Annies fall sale..looking for some drama, but not quite ready for Olympicum !In any case , we are told that nigrum will rebloom til fall if deadheaded--that always seals the deal for me.

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    1. Sounds like you made an excellent choice!

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