Your plant nemesis

[bridgetmkennitt]

We all have at least one. It's that plant that you try to grow and grow, but for some reason or another, it just dies or doesn't bloom or doesn't grow any vegetables.

What plant do you consider your nemesis?

Comments

[malnpudl]

I have to open this with the obvious: Himalayan Blue Poppy (meconopsis betonicifolia)

When I lived in the eastern -- which is to say hotter and drier -- part of the San Francisco Bay area, I tried and failed three times to grow this. Because I never give up on anything until I've killed it three times. (That's a thing for most gardeners, right? The three-times thing?)

Now I live up in the NW corner of California, only about 10 miles inland from the coast and on a bluff over a river valley. Which is to say, I'm now in the right climate to grow my nemesis... except that pretty much all I have is full sun. I'm still going to try it again one of these days. Because now I get three more tries, right? :-D

[peoriapeoriawhereart]

Oddly enough, coneflower. (and shasta daisy, but really, that's less odd than coneflower.)

[ravena_kade]

Coneflower. For some reason something usually eats it totally or birds cut the flowers off. The black eyed susan form can almost be considered a weed, but something kills it in my yard. If it does survive the season it dies over the winter. I have no idea why.

[3rdragon]

Radishes. Everyone says "They're easy! Grow them with your kids!" and sometimes they don't sprout, and sometimes they sprout but don't radish, or occasionally they do radish but only very small bitter rocks with worm holes in them. This year we gave up on watermelon radishes and are going for something with a short time to maturity, and they've sprouted and are making true leaves, at least. So we'll see.

(Hi, I'm Miriam, and I'm new here.)

[daidoji_gisei]

French tarragon. I love it, but it will not grow for me. Maybe it hates clay soils? I'm baffled.

[ladybrooke]

Hydrangeas. I have tried everything - sun! shade! Growing it in a pot so that I can move it around into the perfect about of sun every day regardless of what the weather is, even if that means moving it under an umbrella.

They won't grow. Every other flower, no matter how picky, that I've wanted I've managed to grow. These won't, and it's upsetting.

[loligo]

Despite all the jokes about the amazing profligacy of zucchini, I have never gotten more than one or two squash off of a plant, and I have finally given up. (But I've never had a true "full sun" spot to plant them in, either.)

[gchick]

I've killed mint. Worse, I've repeatedly killed mint, both in multiple gardens and on multiple attempts in the same garden.

[theora]

Yes! I also fail at radishes. Mostly they don't bulb up, but I am also acquainted with the "very small bitter rocks with worm holes in them" you describe. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. But I've given up and now grow salad turnips (Hakurei is the variety I like), which do work reliably and taste nicer too. They do take about a week or two longer than radishes, however. 35 days.

[theora]

Data point: it grows like gangbusters for me in dry, sandy, rocky, infertile soil that's pretty much the opposite of clay. So it could be a soil thing.

[liana]

Alliums. Doesn't matter if they're ornamental or edible. I follow all the instructions and advice, and they just fail.

[bridgetmkennitt]

*cheers you on* You totally have three more tries.

[bridgetmkennitt]

A comment above you also has coneflower as their nemesis, so you're not alone!

[bridgetmkennitt]

Hello and welcome!

I've heard radishes are easy, but I dunno. I feel like I fail at everything. I may try for radishes this summer and see if my streak continues. Their tastiness beckons me to give it a try.

[bridgetmkennitt]

Stupid French tarragon. It should learn how to be loved in return.

[bridgetmkennitt]

That's a shame. Hydrangeas are so pretty. :(

My mom is really good at growing orchids, but I've always been terrible with them. I've come to the point to not even try for orchids and now I have fake orchids. My mom thinks this is hilarious.

[bridgetmkennitt]

D'aww :(

Yes, I'll totally go with the full sun spot thing. Not your fault at all!

[bridgetmkennitt]

I've killed mint too, so you're not alone. I want mint, but alas, mint does not want me.

[mmegaera]

That is seriously impressive of you.

[bridgetmkennitt]

D'aww :(

I still believe in you and your ability to grow alliums! You can defeat your nemesis one day.

[mmegaera]

I am ashamed to admit that mine is daffodils. They'll bloom for one season and then *poof* they're gone.

The real irony here is that I live in a region (near Seattle) where they're grown commercially, and where they've randomly naturalized themselves along the freeways.

[ladybrooke]

Zucchini honestly do need the full sun spot to grow, so blame that. We have fifteen acres, and our most successful zucchini patch was when we planted it in the exact middle of a cleared area with no nearby trees, buildings, etc. Nothing that could provide shade anywhere near.

[onyxlynx]

Delphiniums, perennial alyssum (the annual plants were just fine), petunias after the first time. The hollyhocks/larkspur actually came up, but the following year they were mowed (don't ask). Peonies have been installed and they may survive.

But delphiniums never grew.

[malnpudl]

It really is.

[nanila]

Basil. Always, always, basil. ARGH