I am a heuchera novice, I have four from nursury, yet my mum who almost lives with us put small cutting all over from her own garden. Since we have a large garden, this is the score:
1) cuttings are in heavy clay and exposed to strong winds have done really badly, ie they didn't grow an inch since last summer, however they are not dead yet and may try to get up and go this season.
2) Two reasonable size heuchera's from nursury are in a dry, sunny and exposed postion, yet soil has slightly better drainage than above clay have survived winter and escaped various animals attacking other plants such as lupins and lambs ears around them, look fine however they don't seem to have added more leaves on or made any progress.
3) Two heucheras from Coblands, one dark and one chocolate in our front garden which are near and part forest condtions, ie moist dark, under trees so soil is rich with leaves and mould, mostly shady throughout the day, seem to be glossy, added leaves on and very happy inspite of previous nibbles
You are probably right, my Obsidian and Choc Ruffles are doign well, whereas my Suger Icings look tired, the ones at the back garden originally from my mum's gardery, I have no idea what they are as they were small cuttings last summer, and they are very small still.
I have just bought more from a reputable nursury on line, I am getting five young Rings of Fire, I will let you all know how I get on, this time they are going in the front bed shady bed again.
ps. I am not interested in potting them, I think they look best when they provide colouful foliage between other plants.
I've got some in large pots, under planted with small bulbs. The rest are in the ground.
IME they do better in slightly richer soil conditions- not too dry, nor too shaded. Although I have VW in the garden, they seem to leave them alone in most circumstances.
Every Feb I remove all the old, tatty leaves. Later on in the Spring, if they've become 'woody' & lifted out of the soil/compost, I replant the youngest 'stems' deeper. Advice from an exhibitor at a RHS show. You can do it in the Autumn, but the risk I find then, is them starting to rot off over the winter. I keep the older stems for cuttings-
If you look closely at the stem you can see the 'nodes' from where new growth will start. so you can chop an old stem into sections, making sure there are 'nodes' on each section. Keep it the correct way up, & replant them level with the compost in pots & a top dressing of grit. Keep out of direct sun- coldframe, side of wall etc- & you'll soon have new plants to use. J.
Thanks, will try vine weevil spray, perhaps blaming field mouse for too many things lol, next will be hostas and my lilies, slug, can't put down slug pellets, as we have frogs, and for my lilies I use provide bug spray on them, after squashing the beetle, hey this is why we love our gardens. It's a lovely problem to have.
Karen you can get specific nematodes for VW control. Try local GC or on-line suppliers. That may be easier for you in that it saves having to remember to regularly spray.
This yr, after 2 yrs without, am resuming using Nemaslug nematodes again for my slug infested garden. J.
Hiya, I am going to keep an eye out, replanting at a deeper level is too much for me, I don't understand fully why a plant would want you to do that for them. As I say I am not a sophisticated gardener, if a plant doesn't work I just try another type, spot etc. Having said this good luck to everyone!
ps.Verdun I will let you know how I get on with Rings of Fire here.
Posts
Hiya,
I am a heuchera novice, I have four from nursury, yet my mum who almost lives with us put small cutting all over from her own garden. Since we have a large garden, this is the score:
1) cuttings are in heavy clay and exposed to strong winds have done really badly, ie they didn't grow an inch since last summer, however they are not dead yet and may try to get up and go this season.
2) Two reasonable size heuchera's from nursury are in a dry, sunny and exposed postion, yet soil has slightly better drainage than above clay have survived winter and escaped various animals attacking other plants such as lupins and lambs ears around them, look fine however they don't seem to have added more leaves on or made any progress.
3) Two heucheras from Coblands, one dark and one chocolate in our front garden which are near and part forest condtions, ie moist dark, under trees so soil is rich with leaves and mould, mostly shady throughout the day, seem to be glossy, added leaves on and very happy inspite of previous nibbles
I think for me the answer is visible.
Enjoy and good luck.
You are probably right, my Obsidian and Choc Ruffles are doign well, whereas my Suger Icings look tired, the ones at the back garden originally from my mum's gardery, I have no idea what they are as they were small cuttings last summer, and they are very small still.
I have just bought more from a reputable nursury on line, I am getting five young Rings of Fire, I will let you all know how I get on, this time they are going in the front bed shady bed again.
ps. I am not interested in potting them, I think they look best when they provide colouful foliage between other plants.
I've got some in large pots, under planted with small bulbs. The rest are in the ground.
IME they do better in slightly richer soil conditions- not too dry, nor too shaded. Although I have VW in the garden, they seem to leave them alone in most circumstances.
Every Feb I remove all the old, tatty leaves. Later on in the Spring, if they've become 'woody' & lifted out of the soil/compost, I replant the youngest 'stems' deeper. Advice from an exhibitor at a RHS show. You can do it in the Autumn, but the risk I find then, is them starting to rot off over the winter. I keep the older stems for cuttings-
If you look closely at the stem you can see the 'nodes' from where new growth will start. so you can chop an old stem into sections, making sure there are 'nodes' on each section. Keep it the correct way up, & replant them level with the compost in pots & a top dressing of grit. Keep out of direct sun- coldframe, side of wall etc- & you'll soon have new plants to use.
J.
Karen you can get specific nematodes for VW control. Try local GC or on-line suppliers. That may be easier for you in that it saves having to remember to regularly spray.
This yr, after 2 yrs without, am resuming using Nemaslug nematodes again for my slug infested garden. J.
Hiya, I am going to keep an eye out, replanting at a deeper level is too much for me, I don't understand fully why a plant would want you to do that for them. As I say I am not a sophisticated gardener, if a plant doesn't work I just try another type, spot etc. Having said this good luck to everyone!
ps.Verdun I will let you know how I get on with Rings of Fire here.