Campanula 2016

[Tristan_He]

The Campanulas are starting to look nice now



Campanula pulla var. alba from Pottertons. This was only planted last year and is making a lovely display.



Campanula x pulloides 'G.F. Wilson'. Apart from the rich violet colour I don't think this looks much like C. pulla at all (see image below). They are both fabulous plants though. Again planted last year.

[Hoy]

Very nice, Tristan!

[Cfred72]

Campanula sarastro

[Roma]

Campanula choruhensis

[Roma]

A different Campanula choruhensis
Campanula thyrsoides  -  2 or 3 years ago I had some plants flowering in 7cm pots (never got round to planting out).  I didn't think there was any seed to collect but next year found seedlings in other pots.  This one is in a 2litre pot whose original occupant has died.
Campanula sartorii - it had more buds but the slugs must have eaten the central ones.  This self seeds but is such a tiny thing it is never a nuisance.
Campanula incurva - another which keeps going by self sown seedlings.  Should be grown in a sunny well drained position.  This one is against the north facing wall of the house.  Plants do not read the books      

[John85]

What magic do you use to keep the slugs and snails away?
Do you still have metaldehyde in liquid form?
I have to keep them all in pots because they prefer the leaves to the pellets.

[Tristan_He]

I love campanulas, but I live in a wet, windy, lime-poor conditions in northwest Wales. It is serious slug country, so I sympathise! Nevertheless, I grow a wide range of large and small Campanula and related genera such as Adenophora, Phyteuma and Edraianthus (just counted them - I make it 22 different Campanulaceae - eek!). I don't do anything special - very light applications of slug pellets in the general area of the plants in the first few months after planting. C. trachelium can be a bit of a nuisance for me because it self-seeds to freely.

In general I would not advise growing these in pots if you can give them suitable conditions in the garden. Unless you are attentive, pots tend to run out of water and nutrients in time, plus most pots contain hiding places for molluscs underneath. Plants that are under stress are much more vulnerable (e.g. seedlings, newly planted, in pots or if they are being overcrowded by other plants).

Most campanulas like to get their roots down in well-drained sunny conditions and will be much better able to take damage if they can do so. Once established, although the slugs and snails (Helix aspera is the main culprit) certainly like to eat them, it does not kill the plant or even set it back much (most of the damage tends to be after flowering). They do need attention in their first year. Only the smallest species such as C. zoysii seem to need continuous protection.

Hope this helps and keep trying!

[John85]

Thank you Tristan.It seems your slugs are not as hungry as mine.
Here most of the damage is done as soon as the first tiny shoots appear.
Even the strong C.muralis suffers a lot and would die without the pellets.
The climate here is warmer and slugs start feeding as early as March.
Is spraying with garlic water really effective?
Has someone tried spraying with cafeine?Is it easy to get?

[Roma]

Campanula incurva creeping ever further over the path.  Hope husband does not trip over it or I'm in trouble

[Roma]

Campanula incurva with more flowers
Campanula thessala still flowering.  I cut off the long trailing red spider mite infested old shoots and the buds in the centre opened up.  It has been flowering since May.
Campanula isophylla ?.  Self sown into this pot many years ago.
Not Campanula but Campanulaceae - Cyananthus integer x sherriffii.  Not as floriferous as usual.  The Erica arborea 'Estrella Gold has got very wide since the last time it was cut back so it is being squashed and some shoots were eaten by rabbits.

[JSzymon]

Such lovely plants the campanulas are, but sadly the few I tried (or the more choice species) won't put up with the wet, slugs, heat, and humidity where I live

Campanula thyrsoides! This is one I always wanted to try. I heard it is fragrant (is it)?

[Tristan_He]

Campanula incurva with more flowers

Very nice Roma. Mine still has not flowered after 2 years - does it like a really sunny spot?

[Roma]

I am not sure, Tristan how old this one is.  I think it prefers a well drained sunny spot but this self sown plant is against the north facing wall of the house and I think would only get sun very early morning and late evening in the middle of summer.  Some plants if cut back will flower a second year but never as good as the first flowering. 

[Roma]

Campanula thyrsoides! This is one I always wanted to try. I heard it is fragrant (is it)?

I didn't notice.  Must have a sniff if I get flowers next year.  I have three planted out on my raised bed and there are more young plants sharing pots with other plants which I need to do something about.

[Tristan_He]

I am not sure, Tristan how old this one is.  I think it prefers a well drained sunny spot but this self sown plant is against the north facing wall of the house and I think would only get sun very early morning and late evening in the middle of summer.  Some plants if cut back will flower a second year but never as good as the first flowering.

Thanks Roma, I'll leave it where it is for now then. Might pick up another too if it is short-lived.