I was pretty good this year. I watered, when I absolutely needed too. I went on pest patrol. I tried to stay on top of things. I'm happy to report I only killed a few things this year, which is good for me.
I started the season by leaving my 'Aunt Molly's' ground cherries in the tray I carried them outdoors with, which had no drainage. The poor things succumbed to rotted roots, waiting for me to get them in the ground. And I kept missing the basket of winged peas, with the hose. It figures it would be things I couldn't run out to the nursery and get replacements for.
Be honest, you lost a few plants, too. What did you kill this year?
Photo: Đ Marie Iannotti
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From some neglect, the snap dragons I planted in hanging pots for the cemetary just didn’t get enough watering this summer as it was sooo hot and dry thru much of it. I did try to make it there at least 1xweek, but it was not enough. Had better luck with the cactus plants I replaced them with…should remember that for next summer!
It always seems to be the plants on special display, that go first. Yes, we watering challenged people need to think about cactus and other succulents more often, lol.
I put cosmos in one day and they were gone the next.
Do you suppose something ate them?
i killed another fuchia this year, i think ill try the cactus too
Nancy, if they were gone that quickly, they were definitely eaten. I think chipmunks and squirrels will eat tender new seedlings of cosmos. There are probably more animals that enjoy them, too. I just wish they wouldn’t eat them all.
Another fuchsia, Dot? Are they endangered in your yard?
One bed of snap dragons and petunias didn’t do well in the excessive heat. 90 degrees for 3 months straight when it’s usually 70/80′s in the mountains meant watering, 2x a day. Next year, will plant more sedum and moss roses instead of the usual annuals.
I killed my celery, onions and Rosemary. But, it wasn’t a lot of any of those. I just planted a few. I don’t think they got enough sun. My cherry tomato plant did great, but was up higher on my porch ledge……
Well that question brought a huge laugh… It should be, What plants have lived despite me. I have had no luck with the persimmons tree – too hot in my area but I plan to get another one and plant its feet in the shade and where it only gets partial sun. The gophers have killed two figs and anything not in a bottom wired box and I continue to dig chili pepper powder into the surrounding ground which deters them a bit. I usually have great success with squash but not this year. My tomato harvest was decent but then I planted 15 of them. I did better growing them in a “HuglelKultture” bed and the gophers didn’t bother them because of the depth of the bed, the wood and compost I put in the bottom and sides. Despite my failures, I continue to enjoy gardening and the challenges I face each year. Am I crazy?
We plead innocent to the charge of plant-murder this year, having slain nothing. But we counter-charge the tomatoes of attempted murder — of us! The plants refused to grow, refused to yield satisfactory fruits (all right, then — vegetables if you are more horticulturalist than botanist), and refused to turn what fruits (vegetables, if you prefer) they did, eventually, sparingly yield orange, much less red. What more, we ask you, could any plant have done to kill its gardener, short of premeditated strangulation? But this was no solitary plant. This was a conspiracy: All the tomato plants — cherries, Romas, and regulars — were in on it. And we are not the only aggrieved parties: The bacon and the lettuce allege abandonment. What, if anything, can be done now, we ask you, in the name of justice? No amount of store-bought tomatoes, purged of their tenderness and drained of their flavor, could compensate or make amends for what the tomatoes have done to us this year!
Due to our extremely cool and wet spring and summer (NE Scotland, UK) I managed to kill off everything I tried in the veg patch, and even some pansies I put in a pot by the kitchen door. Late frosts, a shockingly late snow in early April, and transplants I know were hardened off keeled over dead as doornails. We’ve decided to erect a poly tunnel to hopefully arrive at an actual harvest next year.
Oh. I also killed three dwarf apple trees for the same reason as above. Poor things froze to death in that April snow.
I am NOt sure that I actually killed anything, altho my tomato harvest was “lean” to say the least–I think I either killed or some critter killed my bush-beans—-My biggest problem, in my gardening “adventures” this year, were those blasted Red Lily bugs/beetles, what ever you call them—I adore asiatic and Oriental lilies, and those bugs killed ‘em DEAD—boo-hoo—-, m—
I killed a mint plant?!! I bought a scrawny plant from my local master gardeners plant sale and planted it into a bigger pot. It was doing nicely; then about 2 weeks ago it just tanked! Now it has just a few dinky leaves and that’s it. I’m going to leave it to see if it will regrow from the roots next year but it looks terrible…….
I lost of all things an Oregon grape in the natives row this summer. We also lost 4 peach trees and 2 nectarines to blight that couldn’t be saved and even one of the two curl free replacement trees didn’t come out of dormancy. We had a brutal year, very wet spring and record dry until mid October. Due to leaf hoppers I am probably going to lose half of the gooseberries as well. Unfortunately most of my problems were out of my control. We did everything we could at the right times and they still didn’t make it.
I tried to kill a Virginia Creeper and got at least half of it to die! The other half is unfortunately under a wooden staircase and new shoots keep popping up between the slats. No way to get to it without totally destroying the staircase. I may have to resort to that…later!!
Mmm, two small mock orange shrubs. A number of seedlings because I am most definitely seed-challenged. I accidentally snipped most of two redtwig dogwood but they managed to survive. A small rosebush that hasn’t thrived for several years, guess it finally just gave up. A couple of petunias. I love plants but seem to be very hard on them. Fortunately for the plants, aging and back problems will soon end my gardening days. lol
I didn’t think anything killed Rosemary, Penny!
My small plant has been ‘pruned’ several times and and its very strong in the front yard that faces north.
My husband planted the cucumbers much too late but we did get 3 mini pumpkins, nothing totally died on us we pulled it up when we saw it wasn’t going to produce. The radiches are doing well and the carrots too.
The tomatoes are still giving us much fruit, we were the only ones that had a great crop we didn’t do anything different. The tomatoes were in a large raised bed with the compost we have been cultivating. 3 plants one Ox -Heart the other two were Early Girls they grew with the bell pepper plants in the same box. There is at least 2 dozen tomatoes on the plant from last count. The chickens like the tomatoes too so we give them some of them.. and the cabbage is still looking good too.
Planted tomatoes in big pots this year because they took up too much room in my largest garden (and I wanted to plant other flowers) . Had too much heat and drought conditions. Overwatered to compensate and created blossom end rot.
Will think it over this winter. May open some additional soil near my largest garden (flowers) where there is sun for the tomatoes and put annuals in my big pots.
A Pseudolithos cubiformis. Granted, it’s a difficult plant6 but I had it for 6 years. The drought tricked me into over watering.
Lost a Coleus because I didn’t put enough drainage holes in the pot. Planted some peas in a spot that was too shady and lost 2 pots of annuals because I forgot to water. Must try harder next year!
It was not a good green bean year where I live – too hot for the flowers to set. Hoping for better year next season!
It was a bad year to be a tomato plant on my deck. The yield was alomost zero & the few tomatoes we harvested were puny & orange in color. We had to much rain this summer and my plants rotted away. This wont stop me from trying again next year!
Donīt worry marie the ground cherries (physalis) are indestructible.
Just try to remember where you threw out the remains. They spring up everywhere next season and you’ll be calling them a neusense soon. Here in Portugal they produce all year around and are deliciously beautiful. Ever try making licqueur with them?
We had such a dry summer here in Wisconsin
that I was truly vigilant to water my newly planted bushes and shrubs. I drowned a new large, expensive azalea. Didn’t know they would like to have less then more water.
Due to a lot of rain this summer, many of my flowers didn’t make it, Impatients even a lantana which is usually hard to kill. Other plants , not sure of the names, loved the moisture and flourished this year.
Unfortunately, my Moon flower plants both from seeds, and from a store bought plant didn’t make it. Soooo bummed! they got water, but they still croaked:( Guess I’ll try again next season:)
I worked for 2 hours, cutting & trimming leaves from 6 different coleus cuttings, another hour filling the 2″ pot trays with soil/compost and the cuttings. Then watered daily in my rooting bed, AND went out of town for 3 days w/out watering before I left. To my dismay, when I returned, 75% had dried out and died.
I killed Vinca this year! This is normally and easy grow for me, but I transplanted some light pink ones to the front (trying to make that night light border that was mentioned in one of the forum posts) and the transplant did not make it in the summer heat (even with lost of soil, water and tending to) – but the spots ended up having some late growing Zinnia take its place – and is quite beautiful.
Also lost a couple of tomato plants (location issues).
Managed to resurrect an orange Hibiscus (at least three times this summer) that I thought was a goner from dehydration issues.
In early summer, I planted cilantro and, when I discovered cilantro is a cool weather herb, the herb had already deteriorated to the point of no return, even inside. I replaced it with oregano, which fared beter.
Yes, cilantro is disappointing, especially when the weather changes quickly and it bolts overnight.
On the other hand, I started some in late August (I’m amazed I remembered) and I’m still using it after our first frost.
I didn’t actually kill my impatients but a bacteria did, I plant hundreds in various display gardens in our city and this year they were doing great even with the extreme heat. Then mid summer they started melting out and most just died. If anyone experienced this problem do not plant them next year as this bacteria will still be in the soil waiting for the next crop.
Dave, your impatiens probably had the downy mildew that did in so many impatiens plants this season. It was bad enough in our gardens, but it must have been doubly disappointing in display gardens. It’s always troubling when the work horse plants we rely on are affected by spreading diseases.