A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum Last posting subject should be "Help I keep killing plants"!

See previously posting to save me typing it out again :)

Here Ruthy, I will put it here for you.
By Ruthie: "So glad I've found this website and forum! I need help! Well, not me personally but my plants do. I keep killing them without meaning to. I have the best intentions for my plants, really I do but I need an expert hand with 2 particular problems. I sure more will come along too.

I recently bought 2 honeysuckles during the frosts. I put them in containers, well covered to protect them but they died in 10 days. I replaced them, and left them in the same small pots I bought them in as I was worried I'd kill them too if I planted too early. However one flourished but the other didn't look happy at all. I planted the flourishing one in a container 2 days ago - it already looks very sad and the other is definitely dying again. They've been in part sun, full sun, shade but to no avail. I haven't over watered them and they've been fed. I thought honeysuckles were fairly hardy and hard to kill but not for me obviously!

Also, I bought 3 wisteria. 2 are planted in a trough and both doing well, one more than the other but they are definitely alive and growing leaves. The 3rd I put in a small plastic pot while I decide where to put it. Unfortunately the bud at the top died and one further below isn't doing anything! I cut it down to the one bud left and still nothing. I have to pot most of my plants as I don't have a lot of ground to plant things in; pity as I'm sure they wouldn't die if they were in the ground.

Any suggestions please? I need to improve my skills as it's my first garden."

Honeysuckle and wisteria are both fairly hardy and easy to grow plants. I'm not sure that anyone here will actually be able to tell you why they might have died. If you purchased them at a nursery with a return policy and still have the receipt you might be able to get a replacement. (Home Depot does this for instance)
Most plants do best transplanted in sterile potting soil and a slightly larger pot than they were purchased in. Both your types of plants should do well in pots for a year or two at least. Some will also suffer from transplant shock and look quite sad for a while before perking up and beginning new growth.
I just don't know what else might be causing your problem. Maybe someone else here will have some better advice.

are you perhaps moving them around too much? honeysuckle likes some shade. and they are very drought tolerant.