I love Portulaca. I do. It took me a while to figure out what I was supposed to be doing for my moss rose in my planters: I was initially not watering as often as it would have liked. But we figured it out together, and I think it's now my First Annual Friend. Next year, and every year.5.jpg)
Portulaca isn't the only annual I became friendly with this year, but it's the only one that came home with me, to live outside. I may experiment with additional plants next year. I found Osteospermum intriguing. I remembered that I like the smell of Petunias. I can finally see the appeal of Pelargonium. I think Zinnia might be worth trying eventually. But there's just something about Portulaca.6.jpg)
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Pretty picture: Portulaca 'Tequila Mix,' one last time
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4 comments:
I love portulaca, too, but unfortunately so do the rabbits. It's rabbit candy. If I plant it, they eat it to nubs. I'll enjoy yours, even though what I'd REALLY like to do is get rid of the rabbits!
That's interesting about your portulaca needing more water. It is one of the few annuals I use on my sunny, western exposure deck any more, because it can handle the heat. The other deck residents are bougainvilla (overwinter indoors), some herbs, and a skyrocket juniper that can also take the hot, dry conditions. I tried tomatoes but didn't keep up with the watering very well.
I love them. Gorgeous flowers!
I used to grow dwarf marigolds indoors under lights in the winter - from seed to blooms in 8 to 12 weeks. A fun little diversion.
kim:
Oh. Well, that explains why I don't see it more often around here. Rabbits everywhere. All the time. They stopped being cute around June or July.
sheila:
Well the issue was more that I was too lazy to water at all, for a while, so they had to make do with whatever rain managed to hit them. Which, since they were three feet from the railing, up next to the building, wasn't very much. They didn't complain about it, but they definitely started growing faster and blooming harder when I realized that they weren't getting enough water just from the rain.
I'm considering trying to collect a few seeds to start in the spring. It's not likely to work that well even if I get it together to collect the seeds: the last thing I'm going to want to do when I get home from work in late winter is plant more seeds. But I may try collecting some anyway. If nothing else, I can throw them in the planters once it warms up and hope they understand what I'm wanting them to do.
Mine have actually reseeded in the planters all by themselves. Not enough plants to make it full and lush, but definitely some. So it shouldn't be hard. I've had really crappy luck starting them indoors, even under lights they get lanky. I would suggest either planting the seeds out directly when it's warm, they grow fast, or just buying new plants next year.
I don't have the patience to deal with seeds much any more, it seems. Too busy.
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