GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

17-04-2003, 01:32 AM

In article ,
(mypet) wrote:

I was about to prepare a bed for some lantana and was wondering if
someone could comment on what type soil is best. I have one friend
who says they will grow if you throw them on concrete ;-) and one who
says they just want garden soil and another who said she took a lot of
care in preparing her lantana bed with rotted manure etc. and that
they didn't bloom in that particular bed nearly as well as they did
in another place where she just spaded and planted. So...what do I
do? Do they like fertile ground or not? If you feed them do they
just put out excessive foliage and no blooms or do they need to be fed
regularly to bloom?
I like these plants as they can take this southern heat with no
trouble at all!
Also...what to plant in front and behind them?

Slightly acidic soil enriched with organic content is good for lantana.
But they also like it when people forget to water them. So part of the
contradiction you're hearing is because the person who takes really great
care of a well-composted garden probably waters it regularly & so annoys
the lantana, but someone who doesn't care what crappy bit of ground they
stick it in also fails to water it so the lantana is happy. But it'd be
happier still with a low-pH rich soil, in full sun somewhere where it'll
never be very wet.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/