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Floppy foxgloves

Dirty HarryDirty Harry Posts: 1,048
in Problem solving
Does anyone else have bother with theirs?

I've planted a few this year and half of them are fairly useless at staying upright as the flower spikes grow taller. A couple of examples-





Is this rather common? It's a pity as the peach and white ones look fantastic when they're upright.

Earlier in the year I walked round a loch in the Highlands and there were loads of purple foxgloves all over the shop, standing up absolutely no bother despite being massively exposed in very windy conditions.

Any suggestions? Feel like I don't really want to bother next year if they're going to end up being so untidy.
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  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Were these a job lot of plants? The front one with the red circle looks like one of the X mertonensis types. They tend to have heavier blooms than the native type. Also where they are can affect them. They prefer dappled shade , and the recent heat and full sunshine will not have suited them.
  • Dirty HarryDirty Harry Posts: 1,048
    Not sure on the first one to be honest but the two white ones are 'Dalmation' types.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Crush some viagra up and add it to your watering can. o:)
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    IME, tall plants grown by a wall or fence will usually lean away from it, presumably looking for light. Then when the flowers come, the weight of them bends them over.  Not an issue for those lochsiders, growing where nature intended, with light on all sides.
  • plant pauperplant pauper Posts: 6,904
    Ooo good point @josusa47. Mine grow poker straight in a wind tunnel and I was wondering how/why. You might have hit the nail on the head. They have light on all sides.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think you needed to have them somewhere with other, bushy mid height planting they can  get support from D.Harry. Mine have shrubs or other 'stuff' to help them.

    Failing that, a bit of staking early on before they get too big. Native ones grow where it's most suitable for them, and they can often still lean a bit, but they tend to be shorter and tougher than cultivated ones, so they cope better, and look 'right'.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Dirty HarryDirty Harry Posts: 1,048
    Don't have anywhere else for them so may skip them next year.

    Interesting theory about the light, although as you can see that didn't affect the very tall one (Camelot) in the first photo.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    edited August 2018
    Harry, i wonder if you could paint your breeze block wall white, I’ve got a wall like that, I could make a difference.
    I have to agree with fairy girl, they need other plants around them. 
    This pink one is a different variety, short and stocky, holds itself up very well.




    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Some of mine are still going. Are most people's long over now? I'm not sure if some of mine are prepping for next year or going to try for this one. None of mine survived in the ground as were slugged so they are all in pots. I want to plant them out for next year but doubt they'd make it...
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    edited August 2018
    @Fire if you haven’t got perenials I don’t think there’s any point planting those out,  easy from seeds, sow some now for planting out next year, or are they this years seedlings? 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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