Wimpy Lantana -- What's the deal?

15 years ago

Now THIS is annoying. Lantana is supposed to bloom and spread and just get gi-normous and it always has before in my yard. (I treat it as an annual usually, except for this one nice patch right by our front door which comes back each year beautifully.) But, this year it is NOT working. I have White Lightning (trailing), New Gold (trailing-ish), and Purple (don't know the name, but it is also trailing). They are just wimpy this year. And, it is H-O-T right now, so I don't think that's the problem. They are in poor soil (they've always loved that), they get low-average water (they've always loved that too), and they are mulched (which, frankly, they have never cared about, but the whole bed is mulched so there ya' go).

Anybody got any ideas? I mean, if I can't grow flippin' LANTANA, I think I might have to turn in my shovel and call it a day on my gardening hobby! LOL

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

landdawg
15 years ago
Teasing. I just couldn't help myself.
Iris GW
15 years ago
Based on two other posts, are you by chance using Premium mulch with Weed Stop (any brand)?

You're right, lantana is usually very dependable.

And you know, I can't even find 'New Gold' this year. Home Depot has a bunch of bright yellow ones which would "appear" to be 'New Gold', but the grower did not label the containers with the cultivar name! So I refuse to buy it.
Related Professionals
Seabrook Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Bridgeview Landscape Contractors · Desert Hot Springs Landscape Contractors · El Segundo Landscape Contractors · Eureka Landscape Contractors · Gallatin Landscape Contractors · New Baltimore Landscape Contractors · Smyrna Landscape Contractors · Winter Gardens Landscape Contractors · Cherry Hill Fence Contractors · Delhi Fence Contractors · Homestead Fence Contractors · Manorville Fence Contractors · Marana Fence Contractors · Pedley Window Contractors
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
15 years ago
Most of my mozelles are just starting to bloom and the new golds only just popped out. The dallas reds and miss huff have not started blooming yet.
I do find a dose of miracle grow does wonders for a kick start.

I saw those yellow lanatanas at HD and passed also. I was hunting down another new gold and ended up getting one from a nursery.
woody_ga
15 years ago
My miss huff and my one lonely new gold are beginning to set blooms, and this seems early to me. To me lantanas have a mind of their own. They grow and bloom when they want. But in the end, they put on their show!
mk87
Original Author
15 years ago
landdawg -- LOL

esh -- Nope...just plain ol' pinestraw. And, I agree. I will not buy a no-name cultivar or a plant without a tag unless I am VERY sure of what it is.

bumblebeez -- Sigh. Fertilizing lantana. What IS the world coming to? I have always been able to get by without even passing the fertilizer on the same side of the yard even as the lantana. LOL But, I think you are right. Time to haul out the Miracle Gro...
mk87
Original Author
15 years ago
esh -- The other thing I hate is when the garden center in question has tags that use the word "assorted," as in: "Assorted Lantana." Now you are sitting there looking at it and you can tell it's yellow, so you think, "Yeah, it could be 'New Gold,' but you don't know for sure because of that dang "assorted" adjective. @@
caeebe
15 years ago
I hope this won't be construed as hijacking the thread but I was wondering if I should deadhead my lantanas. I just moved to GA and I had never seen a lantana plant before this spring. I have to say I really enjoy them when they are blooming but you guys are making them sound like a completely no fuss plant. So will I get more blooms if I deadhead them or should I not bother?

Thanks.
mk87
Original Author
15 years ago
caeebe -- I don't know if you want to take my advice, since I apparently have been waiting and WAITING on mine to bloom already! LOL But, in the past, what I have done is...

...nothing. Absolutely nothing. Until about the end of July or early August. And, then, all I did was to shape them up a little (with shears or clippers or whatever you have available). Seemed to encourage more blooms, later into the fall, and kept them a little neater. They tend (usually) to just spread out all over.