My friend has always grown penstemmon plants, and every year I have just
found out she bins them, and puts new ones in, is she correct? or can I dig
up the ones she is now planning to bin, and plant in my garden....

"Sheila" wrote...
My friend has always grown penstemmon plants, and every year I have just
found out she bins them, and puts new ones in, is she correct? or can I
dig up the ones she is now planning to bin, and plant in my garden....
Worth a try. IME some come through the winter well others don't.
Could take cuttings and root them over winter on a windowsill or in a frost
free greenhouse (don't water much).

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

"Sheila" wrote in message
...
My friend has always grown penstemmon plants, and every year I have
just
found out she bins them, and puts new ones in, is she correct? or can
I dig
up the ones she is now planning to bin, and plant in my garden....

I have been growing penstemon In the West Midlands (Solihull) area for
many years and I rarely lose one.

This very well written site
http://www.chiltonqp.btinternet.co.uk/penstemon.htm tells you all you
need to know about growing penstemons so I am not going to compete with
it as it so explicit on all you need to know. However, I will say that
they do not move well and that it is probably too late to take cuttings
unless you have ideal conditions, in which case they will root freely
and flower next summer. I find that shoot tips are best for rooting.
My favourite penstemon is http://tinyurl.com/6afwlr
but I also have the well known variety, Garnet
http://tinyurl.com/6ca5jr

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

"Emrys Davies" wrote in message
...
"Sheila" wrote in message
...
My friend has always grown penstemmon plants, and every year I have
just
found out she bins them, and puts new ones in, is she correct? or can
I dig
up the ones she is now planning to bin, and plant in my garden....

I have been growing penstemon In the West Midlands (Solihull) area for
many years and I rarely lose one.

This very well written site
http://www.chiltonqp.btinternet.co.uk/penstemon.htm tells you all you
need to know about growing penstemons so I am not going to compete with
it as it so explicit on all you need to know. However, I will say that
they do not move well and that it is probably too late to take cuttings
unless you have ideal conditions, in which case they will root freely
and flower next summer. I find that shoot tips are best for rooting.
My favourite penstemon is http://tinyurl.com/6afwlr
but I also have the well known variety, Garnet
http://tinyurl.com/6ca5jr

Regards,
Emrys Davies.



I learned a helpful tip from an expert nursery at the Hampton Court Flower
Show a few years ago, regarding hardiness. She said that the penstemons
with the larger leaves are the less hardy ones. Since my memory is a bit
creaky these days, I simply remember "more is less" when I'm shopping for
penstemons. It really helps.

Spider

"Spider" wrote in message
...

"Emrys Davies" wrote in message
...
I have been growing penstemon In the West Midlands (Solihull) area for
many years and I rarely lose one.

This very well written site
http://www.chiltonqp.btinternet.co.uk/penstemon.htm tells you all you
need to know about growing penstemons so I am not going to compete with
it as it so explicit on all you need to know. However, I will say that
they do not move well and that it is probably too late to take cuttings
unless you have ideal conditions, in which case they will root freely
and flower next summer. I find that shoot tips are best for rooting.
My favourite penstemon is http://tinyurl.com/6afwlr
but I also have the well known variety, Garnet
http://tinyurl.com/6ca5jr

Regards,
Emrys Davies.



I learned a helpful tip from an expert nursery at the Hampton Court Flower
Show a few years ago, regarding hardiness. She said that the penstemons
with the larger leaves are the less hardy ones. Since my memory is a bit
creaky these days, I simply remember "more is less" when I'm shopping for
penstemons. It really helps.

Spider


Thanks for all the information, I shall read and digest, and try to remember
more is less, but my advice to people with clutter is "less is more" so I
shall have to try to re learn my phrases....actually, I could still say less
is more, less leaf size, more chance of being hardy.....

I grew penstemon Garnet in a north facing, shaded border in Yorkshire for ten years at least. It got a bit leggy, but it was fine. Can't you persuade your friend to leave the plants in the ground until March and then pinch them from her?