On Fri, 16 Apr 2004 12:32:26 GMT, "Natty_Dread"
opined:


"Natty_Dread" wrote in message
. ..
I'm in Zone 7, Washington DC metro area, and nearly all my perennials have
begun sprouting up or leafing out except the Whirling Butterflies I
planted
last year. Can anyone tell me when I should expect to see green on them?
We had quite a bit of snow and ice this year and January was reeeally
cold,
so I'm hoping they're not dead! Any feedback would be most appredciated.


I also meant to ask those who grow Gaura if you stake them. When I first
planted Gauras I had them in a container and they trailed very nicely over
the sides, but now that I have them in the ground, when the flowering stems
grow they basically flop over onto the ground. How do you all handle that?

Thanks!
Rhonda


I have at least 50 Gaura lindheimerii plants of all sorts on my property. They
reseed like mad and are evergreen during the winter. Mine are in full bloom and
covered in aphids, which are covered in lady beetles, which have layed tons and
tons of eggs, which have hatches and I have tons of ladybeetle larvae on them!
Run on sentence.

At least 3 times a year I go in and hack it down to half and fertilize it with
some seaweed or fish emulsion and they are in full bloom again a few weeks after
being pruned back. They are native plants and appreciate a bit of neglect, but
thrive on a bit of water. If you over water them, they will not be happy and
get very lanky and need staking.

Victoria