Give up or wait some more

10 years ago

This has been one of the coldest, wettest springs I have ever experienced. Actually, I believe it's making the record books.

Some examples of how far behind we are:

The azaleas are just finishing up
Peony buds are not even showing color yet
I think I threw out my last bouquet of tulips about a week ago

So here are the plants in question. I don't know if they're just stupidly slow or dead.

Hydrangea Endless Summer - not a sprout yet. I started to trim the dead wood and everything was dry and brittle except for some dark greenish stem portions right next to the ground.

My Caryopteris divaricata 'Snow Fairy' just put out one tiny sprout a few days ago. It was much larger last year. This one sprouts directly from the ground each year - no woody stems. Same for the 'Blue Butterflies' below.

Caryopteris div. 'Blue Butterflies' of which I have two huge plants - not a sign of anything.

Caryopteris 'Sunshine Blue' and 'White Surprise'
These 2 are woody shrubs and sprout from the old wood each year. Not a sign of anything yet. When I started to do some pruning, all the small twiggy growth was dry and brittle, but when I scratched the surface of some of the larger stems, I did see green beneath the surface.

My gosh it's almost the middle of June, should I wait some more or give up and plant something else? I don't like to wait.

Kevin

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Comments (8)

marquest
10 years ago
Patience. Since you know everything is running behind why do you want to give up? Our gardens teach patience.
Thyme2dig NH Zone 5
10 years ago
Caryopteris is always one of those late to the party.
Wow, I can't imagine being that far behind. Fear not, sooner or later everything will "catch up"'.
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mzdee
10 years ago
Weather has been crazy. Everything is slow. My peony didn't bud. Only 3 out of my 6 hydrangeas set buds but all leafed out beautifully. Establishing your garden is not a 30 minute HGTV show. It takes patience and genuine appreciation for nature.
Marie Tulin
10 years ago
Some plants just won't put out a growth spurt until the soil is warm enough (whatever that temp may be) for a certain period. For instance, tomatoes need the soil to be 60 before they begin to really grow. The soils not warming very fast in extended periods of chilly damp.
Just sit back and enjoy the long spring. Think of the reservoirs being filled and the probabiity there won't be a water restrictions this summer or....maybe next year either.
Still I know I get a hovering anxiety when I suspect plants I love might not come back. Distract yourself with some weeding.
mnwsgal
10 years ago
Wait.

Hey, Kevin, I know you are an experienced gardener and, like me, a bit impatient with this cloudy wet spring. My hydrangeas, including Endless Summer, have been leafed out for some time. My caryopteris, growing on the East side of the house, has also been leafed out for some time. This one completely disappeared last year and thought it was a goner. Nice surprise to see it back.

The one year in the ground NOID pale pink tree peony has two huge blossoms. Very beautful. Had my first clematis blooms yesterday. Wondering if the ground will ever dry out enough to plant brugmansia and dahlias. We had two inches of rain today and the ground was already soaked. Looking for sunshine and warm gentle breezes.
miclino
10 years ago
We have had a cool spring here as well. My snow fairy caryopteris is well leafed out now. Roses blooming their heads off and hydrangeas look to have record blooms this year.........
User
10 years ago
try the scratch test - scrape a little bark off with your thumbnail and look to see if it is green and living underneath.

My hibiscus has only this week broken out in minuscule leafage - we are at least 3 weeks behind this year.
Take heart.
aachenelf z5 Mpls
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks all.

I hope I didn't give the impression plants were only first poking out of the ground. They are well underway, so the ones mentioned are the only ones showing NOTHING which concerns me.

mnwgal - I was hoping you would chime in since we're probably close by. Now I am concerned about the hydrangia. That was a new shrub last year and I have no experience with these at all. I just couldn't believe they are this late in emerging, so I have a feeling that one is a goner, but I'll wait a bit longer. My brugmansia has been in the ground for well over a month and is looking spectacular. The new growth is exceptionally lush this year because of all the rain.

campanula - Yes, I did the scratch test and did find some green on the larger branches, but whether or not it is true living green or just some leftover dying green is the big question. I wasn't even going to mention my hibiscus which I know is a late emerger.

idabean - I'm happy you mentioned the temp thing. I was wondering if some plants like caryopteris need a certain amount of warmth to leaf out. We were stuck in the 60's for weeks, but now it looks like mid 70's to low 80's are going to be the norm. Last year these were well leafed out in March, but it was a warm year.

Kevin