In August 1999 I raised this point and am raising it again.
I bought a small isotoma (laurentia) plant at a garden centre some
months ago. It has been out in the garden in a pot ever since, and as
my previous experience, it still shows no sign of flowering.
Dave Pooleand Cormaic both said they have no trouble.
It was my conclusion from past experience that it is best to buy them
in flower, then I get flower all season.

Does anyone else grow it and have similar problems? I just love the
blue starry flowers and find this very frustrating.
The pot is in a fairly sunny spot, though this summer has been far
from sunny. I've given it tomato feed.
Any suggestions, or ideas?

Pam in Bristol

I can't think what the problem might be Pam. It is such an easy plant
to grow and is not only a reliable perennial here, but also seeds
itself about very freely and the seedlings flower before they have
made much growth. Of course that's no help to you.

In message . com, Dave
Poole writes
I can't think what the problem might be Pam. It is such an easy plant
to grow and is not only a reliable perennial here, but also seeds
itself about very freely and the seedlings flower before they have made
much growth. Of course that's no help to you.

Even I can grow them: I usually put them into a half-basket on the side
of a shed - that way I can smell them without bending double; but I do
always buy them in flower, from a particular stall at our village fete.
This year we weren't here for the fete, so no isotomas....

The point is, though, that they seem to require nothing by way of
knowledge or green fingers....

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

On 3/8/07 20:12, in article
, "Dave Poole"
wrote:

I can't think what the problem might be Pam. It is such an easy plant
to grow and is not only a reliable perennial here, but also seeds
itself about very freely and the seedlings flower before they have
made much growth. Of course that's no help to you.

I must agree with David here. Ours seem to go on and on. Pam, have you
bought yours from the same place each time? Do you put them into soil or
into compost in pots?

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

On Fri, 03 Aug 2007 23:22:54 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

On 3/8/07 20:12, in article
. com, "Dave Poole"
wrote:

I can't think what the problem might be Pam. It is such an easy plant
to grow and is not only a reliable perennial here, but also seeds
itself about very freely and the seedlings flower before they have
made much growth. Of course that's no help to you.

I must agree with David here. Ours seem to go on and on. Pam, have you
bought yours from the same place each time? Do you put them into soil or
into compost in pots?

I've bought them from many different sources, from garden centres to
market stalls. I've always grown them in compost in pots. The only
reason I buy them not in flower is because I can't find flowering
ones.

Pam in Bristol

On 4/8/07 08:50, in article , "Pam
Moore" wrote:

On Fri, 03 Aug 2007 23:22:54 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

On 3/8/07 20:12, in article
, "Dave Poole"
wrote:

I can't think what the problem might be Pam. It is such an easy plant
to grow and is not only a reliable perennial here, but also seeds
itself about very freely and the seedlings flower before they have
made much growth. Of course that's no help to you.

I must agree with David here. Ours seem to go on and on. Pam, have you
bought yours from the same place each time? Do you put them into soil or
into compost in pots?

I've bought them from many different sources, from garden centres to
market stalls. I've always grown them in compost in pots. The only
reason I buy them not in flower is because I can't find flowering
ones.

Pam in Bristol

Stumps me, Pam. But then I love lily of the valley and have never, ever
succeeded in growing them in any house I've had. We planted some here in
varying places and haven't seen one flower. Sometimes I really do believe
in the Bad Flower Fairy. ;-)
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'