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Sedum has all broken up at the bottom, ejected by the soil - what to do

Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
edited November 2023 in Problem solving
I've got 4 quite large sedum, and after pruning, two of them are very broken up in the crown (I'm not sure if crown is the right word). It looks like the soil has ejected them clean out, with not a lot of root but pieces of deady woody material with the new tiny sedums growing on it. I have moved the pieces and turned some upside down to show what they look like. Before, the plant material in picture 1 for example was one tight circle all together.
I was wondering how I should deal with it, do I break off all the old woody stuff, and replant the pieces with green growth on? Though there isn't much root underneath them, I could at least nestle them in the soil, correct side down, and nestle them all together in a tight circle?
I don't really have a spot to put more sedum plants in, if I should be splitting the plant up.
I was also wondering if this is normal behaviour for sedums. They are some years old, and were just pruned each year by cutting the stems off at the base.
The last picture for comparison is one of 2 sedums which are OK with intact crowns where the pieces haven't been ejected.
Thank you very much for any help.



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  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
    I would first of all check for vine weevil grubs in the soil and inside the stems. Then look at the drainage. Unless something has been scratching the crowns up to get at things in the soil. I have had blackbirds do a lot of damage like that.
  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    I will check now. I don't think anything has been scratching it up. One thing is that the stems all fell down horizontally outwards in a circle this year, and maybe the weight of them pulled the crown apart.
  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    OK just checked. I pulled apart the old dead bits looking for weevils and inside the dead stems, but I couldn't find any. What kind of size would they be? What am I looking for with drainage?
    The thing that surprises me is the lack of roots underneath these pieces, though maybe that's normal I don't know.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    If your sedum is one of the basic type ( Autumn Joy for example ), I can't see much odd from your photos.
    You've obviously hacked back all the flowering stems so the new growth has no protection from the elements.  The flowering stems are heavy and do tend to flop towards the end of the season unless supported.
    The new crowns haven't yet had time to put on much root growth and if you have had plenty of rain, the soil will have sunk to a certain extent.
    If the new growth has no sign of vine weevil grubs ( white bodies with brown heads ) which generally burrow into the roots of a plant, then you can gradually build up the soil around the heads.  Add some drainage material to the soil ( grit. crushed egg shells or similar ) and see.
    Your other alternative is to lift all the new bits, pot on - again with a gritty mix - and plant out next Spring. 
  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    edited November 2023
    Thank you @philippasmith2 ! I just pruned all the stems off a few days ago. It was looking quite a mess as all the stems were flat to the ground and the crown already broken, so I was told I can either prune now, or try and prop up the stems by tying them to bamboo stakes:
    I will go ahead and build up the soil around the heads then. I have some grit I could add to the soil too. Hopefully they will recover and make new roots.
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    edited November 2023
    I forgot to tie and stake one of mine last year and that happened. I dug up the loose bits, added some compost and replanted them. I have sandy soil in Norfolk, no need for grit. It was fine this year. You can do the Chelsea Chop in late May which makes them bushier, but with smaller flower heads. I've never done it.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    edited November 2023
    Thank you @Busy-Lizzie , I'm glad yours recovered :). I'm a real beginner at gardening and I didn't realise it's good to tie and stake them before they fall over! The other year they didn't fall, so it must have been something about the conditions this year that made them more likely to flop.
    I will replant the bits carefully and hope for the best. I might try the Chelsea Chop next year and see how I like it.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Your sedums look normal to me.  Part of the annual cycle.  If you want more .. you have them.  If you want less .. just clear a few away.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    edited November 2023
    Excellent news @bédé , it's good to know they are normal! I will happily replant the pieces.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited November 2023
    I agree with @“bédé". 👍 

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





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