Crambe Cordifolia - flowers when?!?

Hello all





I sowed seeds of Crambe Cordifolia in 2003. Out of 6 seeds I ended up with 2 plants and they went in the ground in 2004. They have not flowered yet, is this normal? I was not here in 2005 so they were neglected, but last year I mulched them with manure and some chicken pellets, and still no flowers! I will give them More manure (well rotted of course) this year . . . . . is it just a question of age with Crambe? I have a feeling my soil may be on the acid side, should I lime their area perhaps?





Any advice would be great, I really want to see the flowers for the first time ever,especially as we are hoping to move this year . . . . Thanks in advance.

Crambe Cordifolia - flowers when?!?
Hi Claire.





Crambe cordifolia is a brassica that likes fertile soil and yours should flower from late Spring to mid Summer. You probably already know this though.





It sounds to me like you%26#039;re doing everything for it. Is it in sun? They like sun. Other than that adding lime may be just what the doctor ordered! All brassicas, including its cabbagey relatives, love alkaline soils and often suffer through lack of it. This therefore could well be your problem. Try some crushed chalk forked in around the plant or some horticultural lime, just make sure you keep it away from any acid loving plants.





If that doesn%26#039;t help then I%26#039;m at a loss. My guess is that lime will do the trick. If it doesn%26#039;t I can%26#039;t believe it%26#039;s your fault. Have you shown it a picture of a flowering one to provoke it in to action!?





Hope it flowers for you this year.
Reply:You are being to kind to them, you should make them think that they are going to die, thus they will produce flowers in the hope of setting seed for next year.





1st get rid of any manuer.


2nd water every once or twice a week with tomato fertiliser.


3rd get some wood ash that has been weathered and put it around your plants.


4th get some charcoal and dig it in around your plants.
Reply:I have listed as many websites as I could to answer any questions you may have.





An easily grown plant, succeeding in a good loam and an open sunny position[1, 111, 200] but also tolerating some shade[188]. Prefers a slightly alkaline soil in a position sheltered from strong winds[200]. Another place in this report says that the plant tolerates maritime exposure[200]. Tolerates poor and dry soils and some shade[200]. Dislikes acid soils[1]. Established plants are drought tolerant[190].





Plants are hardy to about -20°c[187].





A deep-rooted plant[233], it dislikes root disturbance. The young growth in spring is adored by slugs[K].





Plants can be grown in the summer meadow if the grass is not cut too low, since this would damage the growing point[200].





The flowers emit a delicious wallflower-like scent in hot sunny weather[245].



Reebok