Gardeners: Primrose help, please?

Full sun & heat

Normally primroses belong outdoors, in a moist shady spot and need zone 5 and above. The junk at Kroger are throw-aways. Hence the $0.50 bargain.

Primrose

When you do buy plants at the grocery store, think of them as cut flowers, to be composted when they fade. ‘Cause they will. Don’t blame yourself. Gail is, as usual,
right

Gah, come on. Someone, some positivity, please! How do I save the plant?

Primroses can’t thrive inside as gailcalled said.

I guess I just don’t understand how the thing was perfectly healthy inside a grocery store, yet it died when I took it home. :( I keep thinking that if it was fine there, I can make it fine here. Well, poop. Now I feel bad for taking a plant to its demise.

If it is not all the way gone, plant it outside. Even if it dies back, it might come back in a few weeks.

Primrose grown in hothouse—>Primrose shipped to store where it can manage a few days—>Primrose bought by hapless sucker.

They are such wonderful, cheerful harbingers of spring. I used to get a bunch to use for table decoration for brunch or lunch, and then put them outside afterwards.

It’s been way too cold here to have most plants outside (barring the perennials and whatnot that aren’t bothered by freezing temps in winter), so, from what you’ve all said, that won’t work. Basically, it’s getting lots of sunlight-like light, as I have one of those sun lamps people use to treat SAD. It’s also being kept pretty warm at the same time. I’m hoping that will do it.

4b -25 to -20 F -28.9 to -31.6 C
5a -20 to -15 F -26.2 to -28.8 C
5b -15 to -10 F -23.4 to -26.1 C
6a -10 to -5 F -20.6 to -23.3 C
6b -5 to 0 F -17.8 to -20.5 C
7a 0 to 5 F -15.0 to -17.7 C

Source

Often, greenhouse primroses are used as centerpieces during the cold months for parties. They look green, fresh, and bright. I bring them home and they croak.

The sun lamp may cheer you up but not the primrose. Try pruning it back hard so that most of the energy goes into keeping the root system alive. Then move it to dappled shade or only AM sun when weather permits.

(“Hapless sucker” is a term of affection.)

Are you sure about the lamp? I started an early herb garden and my sprouts seem to be loving the sun lamp.

Apples and oranges, my dear. You can raise primroses from seed, which is a whole different kettle of fish, you should excuse the mixed metaphor.

Read my primrose link above. They helped generate the expression “delicate flower.”

And for 50 cents, try anything. The sticker lied, remember. Most primroses, at least in zone 5, do not like direct and bright sun all day long.

Oh dear, based on gailcalled’s comment, I feel the need to clarify that when I spoke of “hapless sucker” I was, in fact, talking about myself. I have been down this, ahem, primrose path many times.

Here is the one that used to get me every time.

@Marina; I accept that expression as a loving one since it applies to me also. I sometimes think I should skip the middleman and simply plant cash.

@Gail: I wish I had planted cash instead of investing in the stock market.