Hi Verdun, my healthy batch were plug plants that were literally just inserted in soil. A few produced a tiny bloom but I cut the flowers off so they could spend their time and energy developing leaves and roots. They are all still alive and seem to be producing new leaves and growing slowly but surely. Haven't got any new flower buds yet but I'd rather they properly establish themselves than produce flowers at this point. I have them in a well mulched border between newly planted trees. The trees are still very small so the wild swans are in full sun most of the day still. I expect the trees will start to produced some dappled shade in the years to come. I hope they can survive full sun (as advertised) as long as the soil doesn't dry out.
I'm another victim of the Dying Swan - sorry, Wild Swan. Surely somewhere there is a botanist who can explain why they are so prone to curling up and dying. My latest failure was in bud and about to flower when it just dried up, looking almost as though it had been singed by very strong sun (We should be so lucky), A couple of years ago a biologist told me what caused this and suggested I should treat the compost with nematodes. Unfortunately I can't recall the exact details of the advice. I've looked up 'nematode' on the net but they all seem to be for slugs, so no help there. What irritates me most is that all the growers are happy to tell us what beautiful and desirable plants these are without mentioning that they are likely to die soon after purchase. In view of the price of the plants + postage I feel that a warning note would be in order. On the other hand I've got previous experience of the blasted things and still tried again.
Hi Verdun, Your Wild Swan is certainly magnificent. I have 3 Wild Swans growing in my garden together with 3 anemones the names of which I have forgotten and 1 each of Pretty Lady Susan and Diane. In late spring I add Westland's compost to the front garden now that I can't get peat. In my front border growing strongly I have amongst other plants hydrangeas, pelargoniums, geraniums, begonias helianthemums, roses, zantendescia, pansies, hostas, iris, nana gracilis along with one Wild Swan which is thriving just a foot away from the one which is now in trouble.
Re the Anemone which is struggling, I have examined the roots and found them to be a brownish fibreous network so I soaked the whole plant in Westland's Plant Rescue after removing the most frazzled leaves. So far there has been no further deterioration and there is nothing else I can do but keep my fingers crossed. I can be ruthless about disposing of a plant I'm bored with but I can't bear to see a healthy plant dying unnecessarily.
No problems with Wild Swan. . . have had 3 for a few years, 2 in the ground, south facing and one in a large pot in semi shade. All cut back now after a mass of flowers.
Maybe it is the soil. Next door has a beautiful stand of a pink autumn flowering anemone. I begged a portion, and planted it at the back of the border. It survives , but nothing like next door. Next door it is growing in heavy clay. I broke a fork digging up a piece for nut. You could make pots out of it. My side has very free draining sand over an old stone farm track. Roses do better in clay. Maybe anemones do too. Thinking about it, Verdun is going to say his are in sand.
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Hi Verdun, my healthy batch were plug plants that were literally just inserted in soil. A few produced a tiny bloom but I cut the flowers off so they could spend their time and energy developing leaves and roots. They are all still alive and seem to be producing new leaves and growing slowly but surely. Haven't got any new flower buds yet but I'd rather they properly establish themselves than produce flowers at this point. I have them in a well mulched border between newly planted trees. The trees are still very small so the wild swans are in full sun most of the day still. I expect the trees will start to produced some dappled shade in the years to come. I hope they can survive full sun (as advertised) as long as the soil doesn't dry out.
I'm another victim of the Dying Swan - sorry, Wild Swan. Surely somewhere there is a botanist who can explain why they are so prone to curling up and dying. My latest failure was in bud and about to flower when it just dried up, looking almost as though it had been singed by very strong sun (We should be so lucky), A couple of years ago a biologist told me what caused this and suggested I should treat the compost with nematodes. Unfortunately I can't recall the exact details of the advice. I've looked up 'nematode' on the net but they all seem to be for slugs, so no help there. What irritates me most is that all the growers are happy to tell us what beautiful and desirable plants these are without mentioning that they are likely to die soon after purchase. In view of the price of the plants + postage I feel that a warning note would be in order. On the other hand I've got previous experience of the blasted things and still tried again.
Hi Verdun, Your Wild Swan is certainly magnificent. I have 3 Wild Swans growing in my garden together with 3 anemones the names of which I have forgotten and 1 each of Pretty Lady Susan and Diane. In late spring I add Westland's compost to the front garden now that I can't get peat. In my front border growing strongly I have amongst other plants hydrangeas, pelargoniums, geraniums, begonias helianthemums, roses, zantendescia, pansies, hostas, iris, nana gracilis along with one Wild Swan which is thriving just a foot away from the one which is now in trouble.
Re the Anemone which is struggling, I have examined the roots and found them to be a brownish fibreous network so I soaked the whole plant in Westland's Plant Rescue after removing the most frazzled leaves. So far there has been no further deterioration and there is nothing else I can do but keep my fingers crossed. I can be ruthless about disposing of a plant I'm bored with but I can't bear to see a healthy plant dying unnecessarily.
No problems with Wild Swan. . . have had 3 for a few years, 2 in the ground, south facing and one in a large pot in semi shade. All cut back now after a mass of flowers.
Verdun, I usually get a second lot of flowers although not so prolific.
Maybe it is the soil. Next door has a beautiful stand of a pink autumn flowering anemone. I begged a portion, and planted it at the back of the border. It survives , but nothing like next door. Next door it is growing in heavy clay. I broke a fork digging up a piece for nut. You could make pots out of it. My side has very free draining sand over an old stone farm track. Roses do better in clay. Maybe anemones do too. Thinking about it, Verdun is going to say his are in sand.
