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Astrantia drooping

Gardener_JoanGardener_Joan Posts: 27
in Problem solving
Have several astrantia varieties in my back garden and they seem to be drooping this year . 
The one in picture is astrantia major superstar 

They have been fed every 2 weeks since spring and the soil has been quite moist . I see a few leaves with rust on a few of them but there are others with no rust on leaves and a different variety,   ( major Ruby star) but with the same issue .

Any suggestions ?



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Posts

  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    I wonder if it could just be that we have suddenly had some very warm days? Astrantia prefer some shade and yours may have struggled to take up water quickly enough. Are they OK early in the morning? You don't need to be feeding them all the time, by the way.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I've had the same with quite a few plants including my 5 astrantias.
    It is as @Posy says due to the strong sunlight.
    The young leaves are working really hard to absorb the light that they need, but the roots cannot supply water fast enough so the leaves droop.
    By the morning you should find them all upright again.
    Nothing to worry about and as the leaves mature and toughen up it'll stop happening


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Why are you feeding them all the time? That just leads to lots of softer growth, which makes it even harder for them to support themselves.  :)
    They do like a decent amount of moisture, so it can be that too. There's certainly a lot of plants close by which will also be competition for it. 
    I grow Superstar and it can be quite lax in hot, dry weather, as I found last year. In most years it doesn't do it, because its usually damp enough here, and cooler. They struggle a bit in full sun too, so if you're in a hotter part of the country it makes it more difficult, especially as they get to full size. Mine are west facing, and have a good bit of shade in the morning.
    As @Pete.8 says, overnight it should be perkier because it's cooler, and often getting more moisture available even if it's not raining. There's a lot of foliage to keep upright.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Good point @Fairygirl.
    All mine get is a light dusting with blood, fish and bone and a mulch in the spring and that's it for the year. The extra feed will tend to make lush but tender growth.
    In the pic above it looks like it's about to be smothered by the salvia growing around it too.


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I've never fed mine since it was planted, but it does get lots of rain, and the soil in the raised bed is in good condition.
    It possibly gets a small benefit from the nearby clematis, which usually gets a small feed in early spring, but it'll be a tiny benefit, if there's one at all.  ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Gardener_JoanGardener_Joan Posts: 27
    Posy said:
    I wonder if it could just be that we have suddenly had some very warm days? Astrantia prefer some shade and yours may have struggled to take up water quickly enough. Are they OK early in the morning? You don't need to be feeding them all the time, by the way.
    Yeah its been a bit warm . They are all throughout the garden in warm , sheltered ,shade and they have been the same throughout the days . thanks

  • Gardener_JoanGardener_Joan Posts: 27
    thanks for all the suggestions . 
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    It seems to be in the centre of a very prolific plant,  salvia maybe,  what are the bugs in it?
    I would either move the Astrantia if you can get it out from the other plant or wait until the seeds are dry and sow some more. 

    They shouldn't be fed though,  as said, you will encourage it to make growth too quickly which will be soft,  but I think the main problem is it’s choked in there.

    I have them in full sun and full shade,  they don’t seem to be fussy. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I think @lyn is right, it does seem to be caught up with a salvia. I do have Astrantias growing in what can best be described as "light" areas rather than full sun, but the salvia is a real sun lover and l think that's partly why your Astrantia is struggling.
    In my personal experience, the darker varieties seem to cope better in a somewhat lighter position, the white ones prefer more shade.
    Agree about the feeding as well, there's no need  :)

    If you can, as Lyn suggested, l would try and lift both plants, disentangle them and move the Astrantia to a less sunny spot.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    What are the bugs on the salvia,  I thought at first glance, woodlice,  but they’re not. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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