Jeanne,
I grew Champion this year but I don't think I will again. I started them fairly early and potted them up into larger containers, so I don't think they got root-bound. However, they started putting up bloom stalks while still in the cold frame. I planted them out in late April and they are blooming now - but they are SHORT, maybe a foot tall or a little more. I don't know if I mishandled them, but given the cost of the seed I'm going to stick with the biennial ones in the future.
Kirk

And you're not even in a cold-nights climate! Geez, if they're blooming too short THERE, they aren't going to perform here. The tallest right now are about eight inches, a few of which are forming flower buds already. If, like the other campanulas I've got (all perennial), they don't form flower buds until they're at about blooming height - has that held true for you? - then they probably won't get any taller. I think I'm about to rip at least 2/3 of them out and put the late glads there instead. Or maybe some short sunflowers, but something that is a sure thing, in any case.

Thanks, Kirk!

P.S. On the Stereotypes thread, I was as appalled as you were by the response just before your last response. I think you answered well, better than I could have.

Another Michigander reporting on Champion. We ordered some plugs in through Germania. I bumped them up to 806s for about 10 days whereupon I discovered they were trying to set bud already. They weren't rootbound in the 806s; but, they must have been in the plug trays and I didn't notice. We pinched them back, planted them out in the field where they are now happily blooming on about 6" stems. I had called the sales rep from Germania to let her know they were setting bud; but, I was going to go ahead and plant them. She didn't know; but thought the pinching might help. But, if it didn't, I could let them know and they would issue a credit. DH plans to disc them in; and, Germania gets to issue a credit. Our other biennial campanula are also blooming; however, they are 30-36" tall. We are also going to stick with those. I don't know what the problem could be. The supposedly Champion acted like they were bedding plants. Maybe I could put them in my empty window boxes on the little barn.

Flowerfarmer

PS I was also appalled by the post before Kirk's. Youth is no excuse.

You're right, they look like bedding plants. I'm sorry they didn't work for any of us, but glad to hear it is not just my ineptitude.

Thanks for the support, too, I appreciate it.
Kirk

But I love my champion campanulas! They are about 18" tall and just starting to bloom with lovely flowers..all bells without vestigial saucers like another one that is blooming now! I started te seeds in my greenhouse in about Feb. Planted them out fairly early like sometime in March, probably. ANyhow, while it was still pretty chilly and before the end of the frosts. I plan to grow even more next year. I don't think I got them from Germania because I Got a package that is a mix of all colors and includes lavender. I would take a photo except my camera is broke. MAybe I can get my daughter to photograph them tonight.

Lizalily, I think your cool, almost frost-free climate, and the planting schedule you can therefore follow, must be perfect for them. Perhaps they require a LONG period of cool weather but start to bloom when the days get long. If they aren't very big yet then, tough. That's my theory, anyway. I couldn't plant out in March unless they like being under snow. Hard freezes end sometime in May. None of the campanulae I have, all perennials, even break ground until early May or later. It's not just the blues, either, because I have 15 or so of the mixed colors you sent me, and they are behaving exactly the same way the blues are, blooming way too short, just like Kirk's and flowerfarmer's.

I guess I'll stick with the perennials!

Thanks to all three of you!
Jeanne

Jeanne
Started my Campanula Med. from seed in Jan. Put in the ground late Feb or early Mar. Half were shortish 12"+ and the rest were 24"+ when they bloomed. They do not need a cold period. The purple was absolutely stunning, pink seemed to bruise alot easier. Small marketing window though, only about 3 weeks worth of sales. Had some problems with them rotting, don't think they like alot of water. I'm definitely planting them again and alot more of them. Florists bought terminal stems @ $7 bunch of 10 and the secondary stems @$4 bunch of 10. Maybe you need to start them earlier???
Cheers - Kim - Billabong Fresh Flower Farm

I have plugs in the ground that I put in about 3 weeks ago...so, we'll report back! I'm curious, because I got some based on one of the lists provided earlier in the year on what we all were going to grow!

Humm...glad I don't have a full bed until I see how they do!
Wendy

Judging from the locations of the folks who responded, and their results, I don't think it's when they were started so much as a climate problem. I think I started them at the right time for here - if I hadn't forgotten about them, they'd have gone into the ground in mid- to late May, but that seems to be too late, judging by flowerfarmer and Kirk's responses. If I started them any earlier, they'd just get rootbound before it's warm enough to plant them outside. I don't have room or time to put them in 4" pots to await planting outside - they have to be in 2" blocks. I CAN'T put them in the ground in February or March - we're usually still under snow then! If I wanted to grow them in the greenhouse, that might work, but I pretty much only grow primary (main event) flowers in precious greenhouse space, since I have very little of it. It sure sounds like they are the right thing for you, though! You keep the Champion campanula, and I'll keep delphiniums that bloom all summer long (there are a few advantages to this climate).

Jeanne

But, wait a minute. We all grew the Champion based on Bryan's recommendation; and, he reported that he had snow the first of June. Bryan where are you? I am wondering when you start your seed, and when you plant out. I bought mine as plugs. So, I am sure they were started late January; and, we planted them out in April. But, remember, mine were trying to set bud in the 806 trays I had bumped them up into.
Last year I seeded Campanula medium on June 2. We bumped them up a couple of times, and planted them out in the field in September. We are picking those now, and they are beautiful. These we will grow again.