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help with Scottish Broom
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Posted by weedsmakemecrazy zone 6 (My Page) on Tue, May 15, 07 at 1:23
Both of the Scottish Broom plants I put in last year look a disaster! One has three branches that are green and blooming yellow flowers but the rest is just lots and lots of dead foilage...the other one..the very pretty one (formerly) that had orange and yellow flowers on it last year...is completely dead. What did I do wrong? The ones at the nursery this year look great right now? Was I supposed to cut it back last Fall?....or do they sleep for a year or something?....or are they just goners?
any advice would be great!
I'm sad that these guys look so pathethic
kathy |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: help with Scottish Broom
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| I doubt you should be blaming yourself too much. I don't know where you live, but if you live near the coast you might want to check out your neighbors' dead & damaged shrubs and see how many there are. I lost a six year old 7' x 10' big, hardy rose with a reputation for being indestructible. :-(((((((((((( |
RE: help with Scottish Broom
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| Brooms have a short life - mine lasted about 5 years with luxuriant blooms, then was totally dead the following spring. Don't feel too devastated, Kathy. Just cut off the dead stuff to at least make it look better. But the other problem with Brooms is that they don't send out new growth from the base. So what you see now may be all you ever get, from that one plant. |
RE: help with Scottish Broom
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| Thanks...I guess they were a waste of money, but they did add some interest last year to my garden. |
RE: help with Scottish Broom
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- Posted by jant z6MA (My Page) on
Sat, May 19, 07 at 5:38
| I lost mine two this winter after it had been in 3 yrs. Broom doesn't like clay....needs a lightweight, sandy/loamy dryish soil. I think January did mine in with the strong winds and cold......went all black. Out! |
RE: help with Scottish Broom
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weeds,
Relatively speaking broom tends to be an inexpensive shrub because as stated above it is short lived (in my world around 7yrs). Your babies probably had not had enough time to produce a large enough root system to help the top growth (evergreen without benefit of broad leaf) survive winter burn. If you try again and I think you should the plant may have a horrible bloom smell but there is nothing else like it's texture, keep in mind and plan for a short life (it also reseeds easily). You can increase the fullness of your broom by pruning in March. Lift each branch and shear off about 1/3 the length of each needle much like you were giving it a hair cut. This will produce a fuller plant. If you are considering replacing it I would do it now so the roots have enough time to settle in before next winter. kt |
RE: help with Scottish Broom
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Thanks! I do love the look, so maybe I will try them again. Even if I am unsuccessful and treat them as annuals, I just think they give the garden a neat look.
I will try adding some sand to the soil and try the shearing method. One of mine has three pathetic hairs (but pretty yellow blooms) and the other is as yours, black. |
RE: help with Scottish Broom
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| I have the opposite problem here. scottish broom has entirely taken over my property and the only way to get rid of it is to pull it up by the root.I would like to know if I bury it with rock and soil if that would kill it or will it have a way of surviving? It is about 4 to 5 feet high and well established. Ay help? |
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