Allotments 4 All

A clump of crocosmia, which flowered beautifully in its first year last year, appears to have died. Some of the leaves are brown and the buds have shrivelled. I'm guessing this is due to the heat, but since other things in the same bed are ok, I wondered if it could be anything else?

All of ours have gone the same way. They do like a goodly amount of water in the growing season.

I see some of mine are turning brown as well and we have had more rain than a lot of you living in the south.  My Phlox leaves are also dying back although I do have some flowers.  All Astilbes have died back except the one I got from Mimi which looks fine.  Rain is forecast tomorrow though. :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\

I have a clump of Crocosmia Lucifer which flowered very poorly. Same with the daylilies and  I'm struggling to keep shrubs like Hydrangeas alive.... :'(

Guess it's the weather, then. Think I've spent too much time looking after the veggies & ignored the flowers. I'm not really in the south, Carol (North Yorkshire) but, apart from a storm last Saturday we've had very little rain- hoping for some tomorrow.

I find it quite amazing that Crocosmia is dying in this weather.  They are South African natives and this is an almost ideal environment for them.  Mine are spectacular this year and the ones on the roadsides here are in full flower and doing beautifully. ???

Out of interest, Deeds, whereabouts are you?

Crocosmia Do tend to to go brown with red spider mite in these present very dry growing conditions.

Had a look at ours through a microscope and there are no signs of any insects on them. they still have dried up though. Some of them are struggling to flower, but at half the normal height.

When we are talking Crocosmia, could I just establish that we are talking  about is the likes of Lucifer, as opposed to what used to be called montbretia in my early gardening days.

Either way, I am amazed that anyone is having difficulty growing any of them, as in my book they are complete thugs.

Just be grateful that they have not managed to establish!!

I have several clumps of 'Lucifer' in my garden. Most of them have to some degree been moved and/or divided within the last year. I have noticed that whilst they have flowered Ok this year, growth on one or two clumps was not as strong and the flowering has not lasted as long as usual. I initialy put this down to the plants being moved, however the weather has undoubtedly contributed. A couple of the plants are also planted in soil which gets dry due to root competition from trees and a hedge.

Hoping now for a wet(ish) spring '07 to boost them up for next summer.

Definitely drought.


Crocosmia Lucifer (normally very vigorous)


Another Crocosmia


Rodgersia


Euphorbia Mellifera (an established shrub grown from seed!)


Acer palmatum


Amalanchier canadensis


Actaea simplex (DEAD :'()

Daylilies, Hydrangeas, Eucomis, ferns, Pulmonaria etc. all suffering too.

Crocosmia and Monbretia are one and the same. There are 8 species in South Africa and dozens of hybrids and different colour forms. They are most closely related to Freesias. The name Monbretia was used for  C. masonorum until it was realised that it was actually a Crocosmia.
It seems to be the hybrids which are suffering most and it seems to be linked to a dryness at the roots. The one clump of ours (?Severn seas) which is near to the lowest point of the grden and so gets the most water is doing better than the ones at the top of the garden where the soil is still dust.

My montbretia has done absolutely nothing, while a much bigger species I have (I don't know the name) managed to flower earlier, but has keeled over now.

My thuggish monbretia is also suffering and I'm SO pleased 8) - it's made me suffer enough for the past few years while I've tried to eradicate it >:(

Quote from: caroline7758 on July 29, 2006, 20:30:05
Out of interest, Deeds, whereabouts are you?

I'm in Cornwall

Quote from: Alishka_Maxwell on July 31, 2006, 15:43:49
My thuggish monbretia is also suffering and I'm SO pleased 8) - it's made me suffer enough for the past few years while I've tried to eradicate it >:(

I'm with you on that one ;D

What chance is there of them recovering and flowering next year, do you think? Or should I buy some new ones?

I would wait and see. It is more likely that they will recover than that they will die.

They're so tough i think they're indestructible. I'm sure I can hear mine shouting 'the world will hear from me again!' like Fu Manchu used to at the end of every film.