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Very slow foxgloves

gardenman91gardenman91 Posts: 429
in Plants
Evening all

So I’ve planted out some foxgloves about a month ago and they seem to be growing very slowly. Some are in the ground and some are in large pots. Some have had some manure to keep the moisture in though others have had some growmore instead, thought I’d try both ways! Does anyone have any idea as to why they’re growing so slowly still? The centres are still there :smile:
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Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I think their roots are growing ... they have to become established before they can fuel the top growth. My guess is that in a month you’ll be able to almost see them growing. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • gardenman91gardenman91 Posts: 429
    Hi Dovefromabove

    Of course, don’t know why I didn’t think of it that way 🙄 would they prefer growmore or manure for mulch? Are they fussy plants?

    Many thanks
  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 970
    We get lots of self seeded foxgloves in the garden and I don’t bother feeding them with anything although having said that I do sprinkle chicken manure pellets around all the borders once a year. They don’t get any individual attention or feed.

    At this time of year they can look as if they are not doing anything and you might wonder if you will get any flower spikes this year, I certainly did the first year or two. They seem to grow in a sudden spurt and suddenly there they are 4-5 feet high and flowering their socks off.

     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    They’re really not fussy ... in normal garden soil they don’t need a lot of feed ... Id mulch with leaf mould or garden compost and save manure for flowering shrubs/roses/ climbers etc. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I've never fed foxgloves. They seed into cracks in paving and gravel or into pots,  or anywhere really.  :)
    Certainly, anything planted a month ago won't be doing a lot of growing yet. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    A job for me to do today is to plant out 120 foxglove plants that need evicting from the cold frame. As Fairygirl says, they self seed - and flourish - in unusual and often inhospitable locations so I am going to have fun aiming for naturalistic planting. I am certainly not going to bother cosseting them with manure or growmore. If I had not used up the last of the leaf mould on the emerging lily of the valley last week, they might get a mulch of that. As it is, as a French friend of mine once said, they can whistle from it.
    Rutland, England
  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286
    It's always fun to grow a 'specimen' foxglove in a container, miracle grow is my choice. It will though be enormous.

    Normally though, they don't need a lot of feeding. I think myself they went out a little early a month ago, you should see some movement in them soon.
  • gardenman91gardenman91 Posts: 429
    Wow thanks for the replies everyone! :smile: in this instance then I hope I’ve not over fed them? 😂 
  • batwood14batwood14 Posts: 193
    @margaret005 120 is impressive - I thought I was doing well with 50+ which are mostly in pots. They are summer plants so will grow at their own pace and not at the "i'm looking at my garden everyday pace" Be patient! :D
  • gardenman91gardenman91 Posts: 429
    batwood14 said:
    @margaret005 120 is impressive - I thought I was doing well with 50+ which are mostly in pots. They are summer plants so will grow at their own pace and not at the "i'm looking at my garden everyday pace" Be patient! :D
    Haha I’ve only got 20!! I wish I had a garden big enough for 120. Do they do well in pots? You’d have to have a lot of large pots wouldn’t you to get a full effect? :smile: how did you know I’ve been looking at them all day 😂 
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