From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Subject: Re: Flowers flop over in rain; never get back up
Date: 15 Jul 93 15:56:02 -0600

Tina Hay @ Penn State,<TMH1@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
> Why are my flowers so wimpy about rain?  I have a nice bed of tall
> snapdragons, Calif.  poppies, and bells of Ireland, and the minute
> we get even a brief, moderately hard rainfall, they all flop over.
> I go out and try to shake some of the excess water off, but despite
> this, they never seem to be the same again -- they stay flopped
> over.  Is this normal?  Or is there something about the flowers or
> the quality of the soil that makes this happen?

Weak stems are often caused by:
  -- too much nitrogen, producing "soft growth" (i.e., not sturdy)
  -- too much shade (the plants grow tall and spindly trying to go to the
      sun.... even weeds or overcrowding can cause this)
  -- too little breeze (plants grown in a quiet greenhouse grow floppy
      stems.  Brush your hand over the plants each day, or run a fan
      on them, and the same plants get stockier and sturdier.)

Kay