Is there anything special you have to do to get them to trail? Mine always
grow straight up, even when planted in the sides of baskets at a slight
downward angle. Stupid lobelias.

Bob

Bob Smith (UK) wrote:
:: Is there anything special you have to do to get them to trail?
:: Mine always grow straight up, even when planted in the sides of
:: baskets at a slight downward angle. Stupid lobelias.
::

All mine are hanging down at least a foot! - are you keeping them well
watered? - I read on here a few weeks ago that Lobelia won't tolerate any
dryness and mine are watered every two days regardless of the weather (the
baskets and planters are sheilded from the rain) - they just get so top
heavy that they 'trail', even the ones that aren't 'trailing' variety.

--
If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs.

On 27/6/05 20:36, in article , "Bob
Smith (UK)" bob@nospamplease wrote:

Is there anything special you have to do to get them to trail? Mine always
grow straight up, even when planted in the sides of baskets at a slight
downward angle. Stupid lobelias.

Not all Lobelias trail. Which did you buy - do you remember the name? If
it had 'Fountain' in the name, for example, it should be trailing. I think
you would do best if next year you ask your nursery or garden centre which
*are* the trailing ones in their collection and which are not.
http://www.fothergills.co.uk/en/lobe...mixed-935.aspx
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Phil L" wrote in message
. uk...
Bob Smith (UK) wrote:
:: Is there anything special you have to do to get them to trail?
:: Mine always grow straight up, even when planted in the sides of
:: baskets at a slight downward angle. Stupid lobelias.
::

All mine are hanging down at least a foot! - are you keeping them well
watered? - I read on here a few weeks ago that Lobelia won't tolerate any
dryness and mine are watered every two days regardless of the weather (the
baskets and planters are sheilded from the rain) - they just get so top
heavy that they 'trail', even the ones that aren't 'trailing' variety.


I water my baskets every day. I have foot high stuput lobelia (new type)
spikes growing out of the sides of my baskets.

Bob

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 27/6/05 20:36, in article ,
"Bob
Smith (UK)" bob@nospamplease wrote:

Is there anything special you have to do to get them to trail? Mine
always
grow straight up, even when planted in the sides of baskets at a slight
downward angle. Stupid lobelias.

Not all Lobelias trail. Which did you buy - do you remember the name? If
it had 'Fountain' in the name, for example, it should be trailing. I
think
you would do best if next year you ask your nursery or garden centre which
*are* the trailing ones in their collection and which are not.
http://www.fothergills.co.uk/en/lobe...mixed-935.aspx


They were definitely labelled "trailing lobelia". I wanted them for the
baskets, and did not buy the bush lobelia ones. I may have the label spike
somewhere for the latin name.

Bob

I don't do anything special with mine Bob, just water them everyday & feed them once a week & they are trailing everywhere (gloat....lol)

If they are short of water the flowers usually close up & the plant goes all limp (it sort of makes it obvious that its thirsty)

Lorraine

On 27/6/05 23:44, in article ,
"Bob Smith (UK)" bob@nospamplease wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 27/6/05 20:36, in article ,
"Bob
Smith (UK)" bob@nospamplease wrote:

Is there anything special you have to do to get them to trail? Mine
always
grow straight up, even when planted in the sides of baskets at a slight
downward angle. Stupid lobelias.

Not all Lobelias trail. Which did you buy - do you remember the name? If
it had 'Fountain' in the name, for example, it should be trailing. I
think
you would do best if next year you ask your nursery or garden centre which
*are* the trailing ones in their collection and which are not.
http://www.fothergills.co.uk/en/lobe...mixed-935.aspx


They were definitely labelled "trailing lobelia". I wanted them for the
baskets, and did not buy the bush lobelia ones. I may have the label spike
somewhere for the latin name.

Yes, it will help if you can find that. Otherwise, it is just possible that
there was some incorrect labelling. How long have you had them planted -
are they just taking their time to get going and 'do their thing'?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Bob Smith (UK)" bob@nospamplease wrote in message
...
Is there anything special you have to do to get them to trail? Mine
always
grow straight up, even when planted in the sides of baskets at a slight
downward angle. Stupid lobelias.

Bob



My Midnight Blue are refusing to trail as well. They were bought from
Tesco's.

John

"Lorraine_6865" wrote in message
...

I don't do anything special with mine Bob, just water them everyday &
feed them once a week & they are trailing everywhere (gloat....lol)

If they are short of water the flowers usually close up & the plant
goes all limp (it sort of makes it obvious that its thirsty)

Lorraine


Out of interest what did you feed them on?

Dave

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 27/6/05 23:44, in article ,
"Bob Smith (UK)" bob@nospamplease wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 27/6/05 20:36, in article ,
"Bob
Smith (UK)" bob@nospamplease wrote:

Is there anything special you have to do to get them to trail? Mine
always
grow straight up, even when planted in the sides of baskets at a slight
downward angle. Stupid lobelias.

Not all Lobelias trail. Which did you buy - do you remember the name?
If
it had 'Fountain' in the name, for example, it should be trailing. I
think
you would do best if next year you ask your nursery or garden centre
which
*are* the trailing ones in their collection and which are not.
http://www.fothergills.co.uk/en/lobe...mixed-935.aspx


They were definitely labelled "trailing lobelia". I wanted them for the
baskets, and did not buy the bush lobelia ones. I may have the label
spike
somewhere for the latin name.

Yes, it will help if you can find that. Otherwise, it is just possible
that
there was some incorrect labelling. How long have you had them planted -
are they just taking their time to get going and 'do their thing'?

Well one batch was labelled "trailing lobelia sapphire". It was the first
batch I planted, and is in the form of a 6" ball of flowers centred around
the planting point. The stalks go downwards, with mostly blue flowers
pointing up. (The label has all blue flowers, but there are a few purple
ones mixed in the actual plant)

The second batch was labeled "trailing mixed lobelia", and grew to about 10"
high. Some "training" yesterday has resulted in horizontal lobelia. Not
many flowers yet. The label says "produces a vigorous cascade of flowers
from June to September". Maybe more flowers will weigh them down a bit.

Bob

Dave P wrote:
:: "Lorraine_6865" wrote in
:: message ...
:::
::: I don't do anything special with mine Bob, just water them
::: everyday & feed them once a week & they are trailing everywhere
::: (gloat....lol)
:::
::: If they are short of water the flowers usually close up & the
::: plant goes all limp (it sort of makes it obvious that its thirsty)
:::
::: Lorraine
:::
::
:: Out of interest what did you feed them on?
::

At the risk of butting in, mine have been in baskets now for 3 weeks and are
trailing down a foot and are about 7 - 8 inches in diameter with masses of
multi-coloured flowers (white, lilac, purple, and pale and dark blues), they
were planted in a mixture of:
90% soil (taken from greenhouse)
few handfuls of MPC (B&Q's cheapest!)
few handfuls of partially rotted lawn cuttings (I have no idea what these do
but last years were the same and this years are doing as well, if not
better - maybe water retention if nothing else? - I read somewhere that
fertiliser can only be taken up by plants via water...
....each basket (14in diameter) recieved one teaspoon of fish, blood & bone
and the same amount of miracle-gro (the type that looks like worm eggs,
little yellow balls)....I don't feed through the rest of the year, all they
get from now on is water.

All baskets except 2 recieve full sun, and I can't say I've noticed any
difference in growth rates in any of them.

HTH

--
If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs.

I put some "Growmore" in the baskets with water retaining crystals & MPC initially and then I use Miracle Gro once a week, all my baskets are doing really well this year! (Which is amazing since I am new to all this)

Lorraine