Floppy Lavendar & Floppy Yarrow

[hoodat]

I'm growing two kinds of yarrow and so far haven't had any trouble with them flopping over but this is San Diego where the only water they get in Summer is what I give them and I never overhead water them. In fact I seldom water them at all. They seem to get by on the light fog that rolls in from the ocean many nights.
Both are quite showy. One is a brick red with green leaves and the other is sort of a burnt orange when it first opens then changes to yellow. That one has silvery leaves.
I didn't really get them for their looks. I use them for medicinal teas and as fodder for my little wasp buddies. Bees don't seem interested in them.

 

[ninnymary]

This floppying thing is a mystery to me. Especially since I see my neighbor (3 houses down) grow yarrow in the strip between the street and the sidewalk growing so well. Of course, with no floppying. (Is this a word?) I see this also with the lavendar as I drive in my town.

I do have the "moonshine" and "moonbeam". These along with the "paprika" are always floppy.

I keeping thinking there is something lacking in my soil. It's probably too good!

Mary

 

[cwhit590]

I keeping thinking there is something lacking in my soil. It's probably too good!

Mary

Yup! Who knows....must just be some crazy Californian condition?

Have you moved or divided them before?

 

[ninnymary]

cwhit950...I did divide them and moved them last fall. But they have always floppyed even when they stayed in the same spot for years. :/

Mary

 

[hoodat]

You're probably right that the soil is too fertile. In nature they grow in dry areas that have skimpy vegetation.

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

My yarrow was always floppy too, so now when it starts to get tall early in the season before blooming, I prune it back by at least half. So far, this has resulted in it growing back a little taller, but also flowering before it's gotten so tall that it flops over. :mow

I've not had the lavender problem, so can't help on that front.

 

[cwhit590]

Try the pruning Mary and see if that works next season.....and if it DOESN'T......go to your neighbor and beg them for some of theirs!!!

 

[ninnymary]

I am sooooo afraid to prune once it starts growing. I would never have done what Betterhensandgardens did. I would have thought that it wouldn't flower after that.

Don't think I'll have the courage to prune once it starts growing. I do prune them in the fall when the flowers are brown and dry.

I probably will stick to staking.

Thank you all anyway.

Mary