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Buddleia Sugar Plum

MillarificMillarific Posts: 28
in Problem solving
Sugar Plum is about 3 years old, it is sited in a garden corner facing south next to a garage wall. It is about 6 ft tall but rather spindly. In 2016 it  did not do at all well, many of the leaves were yellow and curled.2018 was even worse the plant was clearly being fried in the intense heat, I know 2018 was exceptionally hot but the flowers were burnt as well as the leaves, I thought it had died. I rescued it with daily watering and weekly feeding which you should never have to do with a buddleia, the leaves have recovered and it flowered again late in the season. I have taken advice locally which is to cut it back quite heavily in November instead of April, move the plant to a cooler site.
I am nervous about this and would be grateful for any comments, in particular is the local advice correct, if so is November  a good time or should I wait until the Spring.

Posts

  • ju1i3ju1i3 Posts: 189
    I think buddleja flowers on new wood. Not sure if your cultivar is the same. It seems to me it needs room and time to grow that wood before flowering next year. Personally I'd do it sooner. I've pruned some of mine already.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    If you move it now it has the rest of autumn and all of winter to regrow its roots and be a stronger, better plant.    Choose your site carefully and have the hole ready for when you move it.  No need to cut it back hard now but you can shorten some stems to make it easier to handle.  Keeping longer stems can protect lower dormant buds from frost.

    Water the plant thoroughly and leave it to soak an hour before digging it up with as much root as possible and then re-plant at the same depth as before, firming the soil gently around the roots.   Water it well.

    The usual time to prune a buddleia is spring and you cut it back to just above a low pair of buds on each stem.   Give it a handful of general purpose fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone or pelleted chicken manure to help it along and water it in dry spells next spring and summer.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Buddleia Sugar Plum is a compact form ... sometimes described as 'dwarf' so it's not going to grow huge.


    I grow the similar B. Miss Ruby ... I cut it back by half about now, and then right down to about 12" from soil level in March. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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