I always plant a flat of them every year - some go into hanging baskets, some tuck into window boxes and the rest I use as edging plants where I have a bare spot. Their foilage isn't overwhelming but they just bloom and bloom - they will also self seed but not overwhelmingly so you may get some 'happy surprises' next year ....

Lynne

Haning baskets, what a great idea. I would never have thought of that. I actualy bought them because I put in some new garden areas which are a row of daylilies. But in front of the daylilies I left room that I intend to plant with bulbs like tulips and daffodils this fall. So I was looking for a shorter edging plant to put now to cover the bare areas. Actually, if it works out I could buy flats next year and overplant the bulbs.

The directions say they spread alot. Having trouble seeing that as they are such low growers. Not sure how far apart. I like thick coverage. Would rather buy more than wait until August for them to fill in.

I plant them every year. They do well in our hot dry climate. One year I planted them in my strawberry pot and it made a very colorful display. Another advantage for me is that they usually reseed.

I always plant them. I plant the varigated pinks in front of the pink knock-out roses, and I plant multi colors in a strawberry jar. They will reseed if you catch the seeds. Easy to grow. Nice little plants.

kay

Same here. Always plant them. I put them in containers.

I planted a few of them last year but I don't see any signs of them this year. I may add some along the edges of the flower beds if I can find them again.

MeMo

Down here in Texas we LOVE them, they just scoff at our heat, bloom their fool heads off!!

Planted them years ago when the stone courtyard was still new, the Portulaca spread everywhere the following year and in between the stones too. Took several years for them to die out and I would pull all the babies. I do like them though.

We had rain overnight all night long so I thought the Portulacas might look sorry this morning. I already planted one of the two flats yesterday. But when I went out and looked, they looked fine with lots of new flowers open.

My dad's favorite flower.
Renee

I keep trying them, but they always seem to fizzle out on me by the middle of the summer. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.

Totally Confused

I was thinking that they are supposed to self sow but so far I don't see any sign of seedlings. I bought two flats of Sun Dial Mix Portulacas today as I need to plant them in an area I didn't have them last year. They are not in flower yet, although there are buds. Last year they were in flower when I bought them. So I might still need to buy more to put them were they were last year but meanwhile I will just work on planting the ones that I have.

I plant portulaca by the mailbox each spring. They do well in the shallow dry soil there. Unfortunately they do not self sow for me.

The blankety, blank squirrels keep digging them out of my hanging baskets. Will try sowing seeds in them again this year.

I love them and they are one of my Dad's favorite flowers too. So easy care and they bloom their heads off all summer. Mine don't reseed much either.
Joann

I went and got down on my knees and really, really looked in the areas that I had the portulacas planted last year. Not a hint of a seedling. This is never going to work, even if some show up I can't wait until August for plants to get large enough to bloom. The reason I go with annuals is to have bloom all season and I need it to start in May. So I will end up buying more portulacas.

Meanwhile, today I planted the two flats I bought yesterday. They are going to look really really nice as I have an area about two foot wide by 11 foot long that is in front of another gardenbed and I planted that area all with portulacas. Will give me color all year until frost.

The rest of them I put out in my front yard around some upright sedum plants. I think it will look really great blooming there.

I haven't looked for seedlings yet...probably have daylilies planted there anyway. I will put out some portulaca, and some vinca yet,

kay

If something is going to make something of itself from self seeding, it needs to start growing really early in the spring. At least around here it does. For instance my California Poppies self seeded from last years plants and I have them all over in that area. They started early and are quite big now. So that works out great.

I guess portulacas will just have to be bought at the nurseries each spring. I only discoved them last year anyway but I was simply amazed at how much color and how pretty the little flowers were.

They are really great in strawberry jars because they aren't as picky about water and soil. They don't reseed for me. They root easily so if I need more I just make cuttings and stick them in dirt.

I had some portulaca in a pot last year, it has reseeded like the dickens! I've been pulling them out of that container, and so far I have two flats full of them! Need to do more amending in a few places then I'll plant some, and plant a few more once the new fence goes in.