Hi Tim =)
Well, it's that time again...tomorrow I start getting my hands dirty pulling up coreopsis (way too much) and grape hyacinth and Star of Bethlehem (pretty, but invasive as heck).
Which brings me to the point...I want to add some blue Star Flower to my garden (blue for my impending grandson...I gave out small pots of them wrapped in tulle for her baby shower). I know they are substantially taller at about 18" vs 4" for the white stars. Are the blues as invasive? On the bag it claims a spread of 2 feet. And I am also considering the orange succulent variety called Sun Flower...gosh, they are so pretty. I'm thinking I'll keep those potted and bring them in as you are supposed to water-starve them so they can dry out and go dormant.
So the real question is about the invasiveness of star flowers in general...any experience before I get started?
This year I am laying down eight layer of wet newspapers under my mulch to keep my weeds down. I did it three years ago and it worked great, really kept the workload down and enjoyment up. The paper keeps moisture in, so less watering AND less weeding...plus it biodegrades...what's better than that?
Yay! Back to the garden!
Love ~ S
PS My signature photo is a picture I took in Vermont last summer. Brian and I were getting the lay of the local land, found a little dirt road that led to a state forest with an 80 foot waterfall and some cool rapids in the middle of what seemed to be forest. Surprise! We drove around a corner and saw seemingly endless fields of these dwarf sunflowers (maybe 4 - 5 feet tall)...they went on forever...you can see them curve around the bend. It was a real moment...it took my breath away.
It's beautiful.The wildflowers here are really pretty too right now.
We can't grow amsonia down here but it can be invasive if you don't cut it back a little,from what I know.They don't even bring into nurseries here because of our heat but blue flower are my favorite.In fact I have a couple books on all white gardens and all blue gardens.
How to grow Blue Star
It is best to sow blue star just below the soil surface, with a spacing of 50 to 75 cm in the middle of spring or the autumn. Blue star prefers partly shady conditions, but can be grown in full sunlight as long as it is kept moist. The soil should be cool and moist. Amsonia requires between 4 and 6 weeks to germinate. If growing indoors it is best to start seeds off nine to eleven weeks before planting outside in the late spring. Ideally they should be grown in peat pots at a temperature of 14 to 18 degrees centigrade when growing inside.
The above highlighted is why we can't grow it.There is no such thing as cool and moist about Houston.
We can't grow amsonia down here but it can be invasive if you don't cut it back a little,from what I know.They don't even bring into nurseries here because of our heat but blue flower are my favorite.In fact I have a couple books on all white gardens and all blue gardens.
How to grow Blue Star
It is best to sow blue star just below the soil surface, with a spacing of 50 to 75 cm in the middle of spring or the autumn. Blue star prefers partly shady conditions, but can be grown in full sunlight as long as it is kept moist. The soil should be cool and moist. Amsonia requires between 4 and 6 weeks to germinate. If growing indoors it is best to start seeds off nine to eleven weeks before planting outside in the late spring. Ideally they should be grown in peat pots at a temperature of 14 to 18 degrees centigrade when growing inside.
The above highlighted is why we can't grow it.There is no such thing as cool and moist about Houston.