Funny how some plants grow or don't

[redcrx]

Was looking at some photos today to see what's left and noticed this volunteer growing nicely among some plants that have been there for years but not really developing. It's probably a matter of sunlight because all growing conditions would be the same.

The two on the left are different varieties of Tokudama. They have been there for at least 5 years. Frances Williams at the top is growing well along with a Fortunei Aureomarginata at the bottom-right. On the right edge is a single eye of Tootie Mae (another Tokudama type) - it went in the ground in 2010 with 4 eyes. (Obviously Tokudama need more sun in my garden.)

I hope to see this seedling flower this season - I have no idea of who its parents are.

group setting - May 17, 2014

[redcrx]

Another couple of Tokudama types in that space.

Kiwi Forest on the left and Blue Shadows on the right with a bunch of volunteer seedlings across the top of the photo. These came in as established plants in 2010. 2010 is the same year I had an explosion of seedlings in my garden. Those seedlings across the top started in 2010.

Kiwi Forest & Blue Shadows - May 17, 2014

[redcrx]

Here are some Tokudama Aureonebulosa growing in better light and less root competition in my "Lawn" garden.

Tokudama Aureonebulosa - May 18, 2014

I just noticed a Bright Lights and Heat Wave (both Tokudama types) that have been in my back garden for many years and are tiny. I going to move them to a trough to grow in the sun.

[redcrx]

Just took out Bright Lights and Heat Wave. Both had their crowns torn apart by tree roots. And Bright Lights had vole damage on top of that. No wonder they looked bad.

There was also a "small" Red Alert in the same space. It has been there for years also and never got bigger but it did look healthy. I dug it up also only to find its roots were confined by that fabric stuff. It had some nice healthy roots growing out of the top. So that fabric kept out the tree roots.

They are all potted up now.

[Noreaster]

I've got Heatwave in a spinout bag and it seems to doing well in there. I do have a couple in my garden that just refuse to grow, and it's baffling because their neighbors are doing fine. They are Blue Hawaii, Joseph, and Brother Stephan ( sp? ). I

[thy]

Good idea to give them some sun, mine mostly exploded when I moved them from a little Nordic morning sun to full afternoon sun, in your area something in between may be better

Sometimes hostas just won't grow even they have good conditions. For me it is the Sagae family, they just stand there one eye only for years... waiting for me to stomp them

[ViolaAnn]

For years - nearly a decade - I had 'Tokudama Aureonebulosa' and 'Blue Shadows' growing side by side and I would have been hard pressed to tell them apart. Then about 3 years ago TA took a sudden decline. No evidence of tree root interference and I really have no idea what the problem was. I dug it out and divided it and put the weakest divisions into my veggie garden where they still are and where they didn't do much last year. The strongest, I put into a new garden but it continued to decline and died over this past winter. Jury is still out on the condition of the ones in the veggie garden as they are still just emerging here, but I really have no idea why the sudden decline.