Gardening Questions Red hot Poker - no flowers this year.
Red hot Poker - no flowers this year.
Asked on 26 Jun, 2008
This question is on Kniphofia uvaria
Last year we moved to the Isle of Wight. We moved in July. The Garden was was established, and I just left it...to see what we had.
The Poker had at least 50 stems last year....this year, none visible and no shoots at the heart.
All I have done to the plant is trim the dead leaves and a bit of general husbandry, I did not touch anything near the heart of the plant.
Have I got a problem? If so what can I do / not do?
Replies
27 Jun, 2008
The weather here has been mild. Slugs n Snails - possibly. But there isn't even a trace of a "Chewed" stem anywhere in the heart of the plant. The base of the plant(s) is about the size of a dining table. As I said, last year it had about 50 spikes.
I had one fail like this in the last house. I wonder if it doesn't like my (Not so green) fingers?
27 Jun, 2008
So odd - mine is much smaller than yours, but still..... Sorry I can't help :-(
18 Jul, 2008
Update.
Here we are, 3 weeks since I posted.
I have 26 visible flower stems now, I swear they came out between Tuesday and Wednesday!!!
This is only half the plant, I can see just as many more just starting out in the heart.
They are about 5 weeks behind last year, I thought it was a much greater time delay.
Phew.
19 Jul, 2008
Hi Oldshape - I'm glad you posted again, as I felt I'd given you some mis-information! In fact, mirroring what you've said, my Kniphofia too has flowered well since you asked your question. I just posted pictures of it yesterday - you will find them easily if you go to my pictures page. As you will see, after a faultering start, it has done really well! Very odd!!!!
19 Jul, 2008
Sid, I looked at your pictures, V nice.
Technical bit: -
Yours is red all over, I have a yellow bottom.
(I'll say that again!)
Your Kniphofia flower is all red, mine have the yellow underside. Is that a soil thing, or a different genre?
23 Jul, 2008
Te he - you might like to get some cream for that!
No, the colour is due to the variety - most do have the yellow bottom tho. Mine is K. 'Northern Lights', tho I haven't seen it sold since. I bought it blind, not knowing what colour it would be. Nice surprise :-)
27 Jul, 2008
Sid et al,
as promised, pictures of my poker in bloom. 56 blooms and about 12 more green ones underneath. But, by the time they get out, some of the flowering ones will be dead so I reckon this was the best time to photograph.
Joined 29 Feb, 2008
Hereford
27 Jun, 2008
Sorry, no suggestions on this one, but my kniphofia is also not flowering this year (it has sent up just one flw spike - usually has plenty). I wonder if the weather has something to do with it? Been pretty gloomy here for a while - no really high temperatures for a while and v wet last summer. I wonder?
ALso, watch out for slugs as they do target the flower stems and buds.