Well, if you read my "so, I want to be a gardener" post, this won't surprise you - I don't do anything. They are in a corner of the yard that is hot and dry. It gets sun much of the day, and usually I don't water them much unless they look a little wilty. That's not often. This year, I planted tomatoes in front of them, so I've thrown a little more water their way. I have never fertilized them, and most of my soil is clay. Jane, maybe yours is too sandy and not holding the water? I read somewhere that they do like moisture. I'll have to try that
. Oh, and these have been here quite awhile, and gotten bigger every year, so don't give up on them - it may be that they're still just young. VT, maybe it's just not hot enough up there as soon as it is here in sunny Omaha? We've got to have something that does well here in this heat, humidity, and drought.
They seem to like the heat.
And they bloom until late in the fall. I took this last year on October 15:
I want to get a Kopper King and an Old Yella, but I need to make a bigger bed for them. I think those hybrids don't get quite as big, though. My red one is Lord Baltimore, and the pink with red throat is Lady Baltimore. I can't remember what the plum one is. I thought maybe Plum Crazy, but I think that might have darker leaves, so if anyone knows what that is, let me know.
Sorry to go on and on, but they are one of my few garden successes.
Thanks,
Nancy
