Mimulus

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Stevie
Posts: 38
Joined: 31 Jul 2017, 18:56

Mimulus

Post by Stevie » 07 Jul 2022, 18:47

Hello everyone hope you are well

Question about monkey flower, I get them every year replant them, take off existing flowers etc and wait for regrowth. They then bloom like mad for about 6 weeks ( we cannot use it quick enough) and then all of sudden they go like this- see pic. I’ve looked on gardening websites and cannot seem to find out why they go like this- surely they should last longer than 6 weeks?

Any ideas?

Thank you

Take care
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Nina
Posts: 2005
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Mimulus

Post by Nina » 07 Jul 2022, 21:54

Hi Stevie,

I think what I am seeing in your photos is the flowers that have finished and are beginning to set seed. In order to keep plants flowering for longer you need to dead-head them, i.e. as the flowers fade and die you need to cut them off (pinch them out) before they set seed, to encourage new flower buds to form. Otherwise they will put all of their energy into making seed to propagate themselves, instead of making new flowers. Also, if they are in containers, be sure to water them, as Mimulus like to grow in moist soil.

Hope that helps, and do let me know if you think I've got the wrong end of the stick, and all those little things I am seeing in your photos are not the seed heads beginning to form from the flowers that have died.

Nina

Stevie
Posts: 38
Joined: 31 Jul 2017, 18:56

Re: Mimulus

Post by Stevie » 08 Jul 2022, 09:00

Hi Nina
I think you’re right, I do try and keep on top of the deadheading but was away for two weeks and then caught covid so wasn’t as on top of it as I should of been. The same with the watering too.

Thank you for the advice!!

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Nina
Posts: 2005
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Mimulus

Post by Nina » 08 Jul 2022, 10:44

Gosh, hope you're fully recovered now. I'll bet that if you take off all those seed heads you might get some more flowers -- it's worth a try.

Cheers,
Nina

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lin
Posts: 1034
Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:27

Re: Mimulus

Post by lin » 08 Jul 2022, 19:23

This is a strange one because I bought a tray of 6, planted 5 in my garden and one in the neighbours garden alongside one of mine. Mine all look like yours but are only about three inches high and the one in my neighbours are about as big as yours and full of flower.
I am wondering if its either not enough rain or ants in the pot disturbing the roots of yours?

Lin

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