2009 Successes & Failures

14 years ago

With another blanket of snow today, I think the garden season is officially over.

I've been thinking about the seeds I started that performed well and were worth the effort.

Top of the list:

Rudbeckia, Tiger Eye, bloomed non-stop all summer, picture perfect.

Bacopa, Snowtopia, 12 pelleted seeds produced 38 healthy plants.

Trailing lobelia, did very well this year, for the first time. I suspect it liked the cool weather.

Might try again:

Pennisetum, Fountain Grass, I think if I grow again I need to site it better. The clump I gave to my sister was gorgeous. Mine were all in containers, and less spectacular.

Talinum, Limon, Interesting foliage, but didn't perform to its potential probably due to miserable summer.

Gazania Kiss, Mahogany, I love this plant, but with a summer without sun, gazanias are a disappointment.

Failures:

Alternanthera dentata, Royal Tapestry. This was a disappointment. The plants were very short, and the one that was lucky enough to be planted where I could see it, suddenly died for no apparent reason.

Salpiglossis, Royale series, red, These started out just gorgeous, but just as there were beginning to be in full bloom, one by one they died. Only one plant lasted the season. This falls in the disaster catagory, lol.

I'd love to hear about your experiences with annuals this past summer.

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Comments (5)

marricgardens
14 years ago
This was a strange (to say the least) summer weatherwise but there were some successes.

Scarlett Flax - planted it for the first time and it formed a nice little plant, lots of flowers. It's a keeper. Same with Verbena bonariensis.

Abelmoschus manihot - they grew to about 4 1/2-5'. Flowered heavily with large yellow hibiscus type flowers. Unfortunately, I didn't get any seeds from it. Still have a few left from last year tho.

Snapdragon - I received a variety in trade, They were white with a touch of yellow and about 1' tall. Beautiful with my purple irises.

Gazania - They performed well but didn't start to flower til late in the season. Will always keep them in my garden, my boxes are already seeded for next year.

Hollyhock - performed well. The foliage was always an off color even after giving it several doses of cornmeal. Beautiful plant tho. Thanks Northerner.

Poppy - I don't usually like poppies but Angels Choir is a variety I really like. They are a bit later than most and they put on a good display. This year, I got a lot of scarlett colored ones. They really stood out in the garden.

Asters - I rec'd Powder Puff in trade and bought some Ice Blue. They did a good job of growing and flowering but it reinforced my opinion that asters weren't my favorite flower. I will be trading these seeds.

Marigolds - mine didn't take so I had to buy some. They did well but unfortunately they didn't put on a great show of flowering til August. They flowered earlier but sporadically. I will try these ones again.
leo_prairie_view
14 years ago
GENTIANA septemfida Not an annual but I would be willing to treat is as such if it doesn't make it through the winter. Started inside from seed last March it started blooming late August and bloomed through several frosts until it dropped to -10c.
The colour is beyond belief and it was fun to watch passerby's stopping in amazement to see its intense colour after every other flower was deadened by frost.
Leo
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sierra_z2b
14 years ago
My roses were a great success this year. A nice and beautiful surprise.

I had many more annual containers and blooming bags this year. I would say they were a success.....although if I would have fertilized more they would have been bigger.
I uhhhh borrowed Marcia's idea of red and white containers this year....I have to say they stood out and made a lovely display in my front yard. Thanks Marcia.
The few extra annuals that I put in the garden, did well with minimal care. Inca Marigolds were beautiful along both sides of a path in the garden this year.

Hollyhocks were good this year no rust. Same with the purple beebalm..no rust. Some of the reliable daylilies didn't bloom this year...that was kind of surprise. Had a pretty good show of lilies old and new.

Tried a few veggies in pots in the greenhouse this year...not to sucessful. No mature peppers. The carrots were very small and hard. The lettuce didn't get any bigger than about 3 inches. Cucs didn't even flower. Bush beans got rust. Next year, I will move the cool weather veggies outside again.....but still try containers again.

So all in all, I think it was a successful gardening year here.

Sierra
marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
14 years ago
No problem!

Hey, our carrots were small and hard too, and they grew in the ground. It was a weird year.
prairierose
14 years ago
One plant I grew for the first time did too well! I'd never tried evening primrose before, and they were huge - they overtook anything they were planted beside. Anything that needed heat or warm soil did poorly this year - beans, cukes, pumpkins. Potatoes were good, but yield on carrots and peas was down. It was just too cold, too dry, and sometimes too hot! Really a weird year.

Connie