Why am I so incompetent when it comes to plumbagos?

[Sweet Freedom]

I love them. I think they are beautiful and many of my neighbors have huge bushes with tons of flowers. I've tried to grow a plumbago and literally, I have a stick with one flower on top. It is truly pathetic and I don't know what I am doing wrong. (I must admit, I don't know a lot about gardening -- I just started this spring -- but most of my other flowers and plants are doing well, so I know I don't have a black thumb.)

I did have it planted in my yard, but it was doing so poorly, I placed it in a pot so I could move it and find a place where it was happy.

I still have a stick with one flower.

BTW: I am in HZ 8 or 9 (depending on which website I visit). Any thoughts before I give up?

[flying_wahini]

1. are you pruning them too often? or too close?

They also like to get dry, but then water them like crazy.
I notice most blooms when they get lots of water.
If they get too leggy they will get completely out of
control, and look messy and tangled.

I just use my fingers and break off the longest stems
up to a midway point - try to find new growth that
points up....

they will need lots of water if they are in full sun
all day, too..... I know that sounds obvious.
they can handle lots of sun, but my best bloomers
have shade during the heat of the day.

Hope this helps.

[Sweet Freedom]

2. It doesn't even seem to be growing.

:)

It isn't dead, it just seems sort of stalled. It has green leaves and the one sad flower, but it hasn't even grown enough to prune. (See, I'm not just average pathetic, I'm REALLY pathetic.)

[flying_wahini]

3. how long has it been in this pot? was it in the ground the whole

season? could it just be in shock from being planted?

did you use "good" soil? I use the yellow/green super dirt
by Miracle gro for my potted plants..... (I keep forgetting
to feed them, so with that soil I don't have to.)

did you prune it at all?

is there any new growth on it? have you noticed if it is getting
enough sun?

let me know.....

[Sweet Freedom]

4. I think I bought it in early spring last year.

I planted it in a flower bed where I thought it was getting a sufficient amount of sun. It just didn't thrive and then the tips became fried-looking. So, my coworker suggested I put it in a pot, which I did this spring (he thought perhaps my soil wasn't appropriate). I pruned back the fried tips, planted it in a medium-sized pot with new soil, watered with Miracle Grow and moved it to a shadier part of my yard.

It has green leaves and one flower keeps blooming, but that's it. It doesn't even seem to be getting bigger. It's so sad looking. :P

I should probably point out that I am in Texas and it has rained and rained and rained this summer. (I think it rained for three weeks in July.) Everything else in my yard is gigantic from all the rain, but the poor plumbago is in limbo. I wish I could blame it all on the rain, but the truth is, the plant was stagnant before the rainy season.

Thanks for trying to help me!

[flying_wahini]

5. it sounds like you are doing everything the right way

I would just keep babying it, you may want it too get a
little on the dry side before watering it- it won't hurt
it to droop a little- then give it a good soak.... make sure
there is good drainage, and don't feed it anymore, at
least- if you must feed it, make sure it is wet when you
do.
you know it may be doing better than you think,
it should winter over outside OK, unless it gets
really cold, like close to freezing and then I would
protect it ... I live down near Houston, and mine winter
over in the ground just fine.....
it may be that it just needs time to become established
and next spring it will do better for you.

I go to www.GardenWeb.com for specific questions,
and think it is the best website for general
gardening knowledge....

let me know how it goes...

[Sweet Freedom]

6. Thanks for the link!

BTW: I'm near Houston too, so we must have been equally drenched this summer. :)

[flying_wahini]

7. where do you live?

n/t

[Sweet Freedom]

8. Sugar Land. /nt