Plants just disappear?

barneyowl · « **on:** April 14, 2008, 16:51 »

I have a north facing "flower"??? bed in front of la low stone wall. Only some straggly rosed have survived this bed. I have planted over the last couple of years, lots of lupins, and other perenials. Last year I planted lots of tulip bulbs for flowering about now and guess what? I have turned the soil over today for more planting!!! and there is abslutley nothing in the bed, except the roses. I feed and mulch this bed and every year I plant stuff in it only to find nothing ever comes up again. Any ideas folks as I am just about to plant it up again and it is costing me a fortune. If this bed was not just ouside my front door I think I would have given it up as a bad job ages ago!! :cry:

Yorkie · « **Reply #1 on:** April 14, 2008, 18:36 »

Could squirrels be digging up the bulbs?

Have you tried protecting the soil with chicken wire etc??

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #2 on:** April 14, 2008, 18:59 »

Is it a very damp bed as it's North facing ? The plants could be rotting off. Try plants that like moisture.

Trillium · « **Reply #3 on:** April 15, 2008, 04:02 »

Squirrels adore tulips and can easily sniff them out, and I'm sure most of my hyacinths have gone into hungry bellys. Daffs are about the only things they don't like, along with 'species' crocus and tulips (not hybridized). You might also have moles and pigeons feasting on sprouts. And Aunty's right about checking for possible dampness and land slope.

barneyowl · « **Reply #4 on:** April 15, 2008, 10:10 »

Thankyou for your suggestions. I think it could be a combination of all the things you have mentioned. We DO have a mole problem on that lawn and I DID see a squirrel swinging through the trees yesterday and yes it IS rather damp. Am I fighting a loosing battle? Maybe, but I will take your advice and give it another go. Thanks again all

gobs · « **Reply #5 on:** April 15, 2008, 13:22 »

You could try primulas, bog Irisis, Winter honesuckle, sarcococca.

Trillium · « **Reply #6 on:** April 15, 2008, 15:59 »

Didn't think of that myself, but yes, you could switch to swampier types of plants. If you google it, you'll have a very long list of what you could use. Otherwise, you could partly terrace a slope or just build it a bit higher with more soil so water runoff goes another direction.

jazzbyrd · « **Reply #7 on:** April 17, 2008, 11:39 »

Just an idea!!

I had a similar problem at home. Mine was a very dry bed in front of a wall. I kept on spending money trying to grow things and it failed everytime! In the end I covered the bed with weed suppressant matting~then with slate stones and put some containers on top of the slate~planted them up with the plants and bulbs that wouldn't grow in the bed

I had to spend money initially but its been worth it

....

Jazzbyrd

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Plants just disappear?

Trillium

Trillium