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A Closer Look at Winter Damage

But first, take a look at this gorgeous rainbow that we had on Friday! The five-day stretch of warm temperatures last week really jump-started the garden. Now that plants are putting out new growth, it is easier to see what kind of damage the winter left. Back in mid-January, we experienced five straight days of below-freezing temperatures. This caused much damage in Portland and areas where frigid winds were a factor. Here, we were fortunate to not get the wind and the cold temperatures were dampened by a blanket of snow. That said, it was a tough time for the garden and there are noticeable casualties but no outright deaths that I have seen. The bottlebrush ( Callistemon 'Woodlander's Red') did not like the cold at all. It was planted six years ago, in the north-facing garden no less, and I've not experienced die-back on it until now. A local expert said to cut it all the way back so that is what I did. If it doesn't make it, I won't be too distraught. It is

Patience sometimes required


I thought this dwarf crape myrtle would never bloom! It was planted three years ago and the foliage has been absolutely beautiful but nary a bloom in sight. A friend told me that I should talk to my plants. "You don't believe it but it works," he said. One day I was weeding around it and I happened to remember what he said so I whispered to it "If you don't bloom this year, you are outta here". Good heavens, it worked!

I took a full shot of it but my garden is so weedy that I'm embarrassed to show it. This is the first dwarf variety I've grown and I really like them (that is, now that it intends to bloom). It is only about 18 inches tall and about 24 inches wide. The variety is "Pocomoke".

Comments

  1. Lovely! Philip...Chuckle, Chuckle to your giving it final notice. I am sure it had planned all along to please you.

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  2. OOPS! It it too early to up... sorry about the misspell of your name!

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  3. I have found that when plants are reluctant to bloom, you can also insert a shovel near its root ball or lean an axe against its trunk. Leave them there for a time allowing the plant to ponder its fate.

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  4. Love the shovel/axe suggestion. :)

    I've been waiting for more than 10 years for a climbing hydrangea to bloom. At this point it might as well be English ivy, and it will get the same fate in the next year or two if it doesn't produce some flowers.

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  5. I think it was worth waiting for. It has a pretty bloom. You must thank it now for blooming. It will appreciate some praise for all its hard work.

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  6. I wonder if I should say the same to our crape myrtles! It would be an empty threat since I like them as a privacy screen even without the flowers.

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  7. I should try this with hydrangeas planted last year... looks great! I'm considering planting the dwarf variety to replace/enhance some of my encore azaleas...

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  8. Phillip,
    I really like those dwarfs too, yours is really pretty. Unfortunately, our room is becoming very limited. So I don't know where we would put them. :-(--Randy
    PS- Was it a Jamie that told you to talk to them? LOL

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  9. It's a lovely plant, Philip. I have nothing in that color to choose from up here.

    I'm imagining you out in the garden having long conversations with the blooming plants;)
    Marnie

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  10. That's okay Carol!

    Les, I love that idea. That is very funny.

    C.C., I have tried to grow cl. hydrangea at least three times and I've never had luck with it. It always dies on me.

    Lisa, I should probably tell it thank you.

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  11. Dave, usually lack of flowers doesn't bother me unless they are in a place where it is needed.

    S.A., that is a good idea because you would have spots of color when the azaleas are not blooming.

    Randy, it was indeed Jamie!

    Marnie, trust me, I don't have long conversations with the plants.

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  12. Hmmm, so threats work... LOL I'll have to try that.

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  13. I'm laughing at Les' idea.

    Failing that you could write a stinking letter

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  15. Patience paid off for sure! I've threatened plants before and it does seem to help sometimes :)

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  16. I love those Crape Myrtles. They should be hardy here but I've never seen one for sale...

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  17. Phillip, It's a lovely crape myrtle and it's wonderful that they are now small garden sized! ...and that they are smart enough to listen! gail

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  18. I had to look up the variety name. It is "Pocomoke".

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  19. I grow Pocomokes and mine just started blooming. They're blooming much later this year than last year for some reason..

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  20. In Michigan, crepe myrtle is one of those things you hear about but never see (one zone too cold). I was excited to see several at MOBOT, including one the very color of yours. I loved it!

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  21. i am glad to know you have at least a few weeds in your 3/4 acre garden, esp. since my 225 sq. ft. gets the better of me. and that's with about 60 sq. ft. covered in stepping stones.

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