Gift of Primrose...How do I care for it??

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I received two very beautiful primrose plants from my sis-in-law the other day....I am really good with plants but how do I care for these as I have never had one before...Thanks in advance for your help...Kristean...

-- Kristean Thompson (pigalena_babe@yahoo.com), January 23, 2002

Answers

Hi! There are dozens of species of Primroses. Call your local County Extension Service(that's what we pay them for), tell them what species it is, or take the plant to them, and you will find out if it can live outside where you are or must be a house plant. I bet it is pretty! I have three species growing here(two are wild)and I love them. Also, a plant I.D. book geared for your area is indispensable and you will love it. As we live in Oregon I use the Sunset Western Garden Book. The Extension Service will be able to tell you what the most valuable book would be for your area. LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), January 23, 2002.

Are they the kind that are showing up in all the grocery stores for sale right now? I don't know which variety they are, they come in all colors (white, purple, red, pink, cerise, lavender, sulfur yellow, yellow, and golden) -- those ones?

I have bought a few of those every winter when the cold is just dragging on TOO long and no fresh greenery in sight. I keep them in a bay window (northern, but would probably tolerate more sun in winter) that is somewhat cool at night, down to about 65 F I would guess. Keep them moist, but don't let them stand in water or the roots rot. I take them out of the plastic cups they come in and just leave them in the regular plastic pots they were grown in, then stand them in a large plant saucer together. Misting daily helps to keep them from drying out indoors. They start to wilt if they get dry, and the flower buds will die if they get too wilted, but it you keep the moisture level up, they will keep blooming for a long time and produce more flowers.

In the spring when frost is past, you can plant them outside in most areas of the US, probably Canada too. The ones that I planted outside have adapted nicely and don't require covering or bringing inside for the winter (in Zone 4A). They seem to like the cool weather and are early to bloom in spring, and will likely rebloom in the fall -- mine were blooming right up to the end of November this year! They do well in an average, fertile garden soil with good drainage but retaining moisture and can take full sun in northern areas (as long as it isn't baking hot) as well as considerable shade.

I have found that the only ones with scent are the yellow ones -- closest to their normal 'wild' coloring. They smell faintly like freesias. Good luck!

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), January 24, 2002.


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