Heucheras not doing well

 

Last year I planted about half a dozen red-flowered heucheras, H. Ruby
Bells IIRC, and they did very well. I was delighted with the display
and looked forward to an even better show this year. But they're
really struggling this spring. Rather sparse growth with probably no
more than one or two flower spikes, compared with lots of lush growth
last year and plenty of flowers. A couple of them look dead.

The soil they're in is not the best, rather rubbly and probably
alkaline, but has had quite a lot of compost added to it, and is
regularly mulched with lawn-mowings. It has also had a scatter of
Growmore pellets about four weeks ago. They're in shade in the
mornings, and don't get much direct sun until later in the day.

What do I need to do to revitalise them? Some nearby Dicentra
spectabilis in similar soil and location, are flourishing.

--
 
Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall overlooking the sea.
Mild, but very exposed to salt gales

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

 



I don't find them long lived at all Chris, and they allways did better in
pots than the ground (drainage?) but yours sound as if they will pull
through once the weather settles down to being warm
If one dies check for vine weavil!!!

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

 

On 14/05/2010 20:40, Chris Hogg wrote:

The dead looking ones are worth investigating to see if you reroot the
top parts. Chances are the roots have rotted off during the winter.

I find they are almost as prolific at self seeding as Alchemilla mollis
if they like the conditions. I am on heavy clay and they seem to grow OK
for me apart from cold wet winters where they sometimes rot off.

I have seedlings of Heuchers growing in the top of my now dead tree fern
as well as in the gravel path edge and various random pots. I grow them
on for sale at summer fairs and plant swaps.

Check to see if there are any roots on the failing dead looking plants
and treat it as an opportunity to propogate them. At this time of year
almost anything will root down if put in a sand peat mix.

 From your description I would put money on no roots.

Regards,
Martin Brown

 



Over the last few years, I have planted groups of three or more purple
or orangey Heucheras of various breeds in a few locations around the
garden. A higher than acceptable proportion of plants have first gone
very sad and scruffy, then fizzled away to nothing. Some started to
produce a few leaves this spring, but have subsequently shrivelled and
died. Strangely, of one group of five of  'Marmalade', two never
really got going properly, two others struggled and have now gone, but
the last one appears to be thriving.

I found Heucheras useful to give spots of colour through the growing
season, but if they are this fussy I can't afford to keep buying more.
I have only recently read they are susceptible to attack by vine
weevil. I don't think I have free-range vine weevil (primulas survive
OK in this garden if in a reasonably moist, slightly shaded position),
although I have had weevil grubs in pots. Position does not seem to
have a bearing on Heuchera survival in this garden - whether fairly
open or slightly shady. Nowhere in this garden stays soggy now we have
so many trees sucking the moisture out of the ground!

I had hoped/expected Heucheras to bulk up so I could split them in
spring or autumn, but that does not appear to be happening - and if,
as someone says elsewhere in this thread, they are short-lived, I
think they are a bit of a swindle as perennials go!

--
Regards, VivienB

West Wiltshire/Somerset border, sl. alkaline clay
Please respond to group.
Mail to newsgroups address is deleted.

 

On 19/05/2010 19:45, VivienB wrote:

If they look dead and dying then you have nothing to lose by splitting
them up and propagating. My money is on them having no roots. They self
seed like crazy if they are happy - and I do nothing to look after them.

Last year our plant stall sold loads of the things because I thought
they were a weed like A. mollis. For me they basically grow in the same
places and set seed in the same way. I grew them on in pots and was
astonished when they were all snapped up. This year we will charge more!

Regards,
Martin Brown