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Post by lilolpeapicker on Jun 26, 2024 8:48:04 GMT -5
Looking for perennials to fill in spots I don't want annuals in anymore. Went to Agway and they had some beautiful astillbes. Bought 2, planted in a sunny spot. Added bonemeal and fertilizer. Kept watered or so I thought. Having a heat spell may have done them in. Now I see they need to be watered alot. Thought I did which I do with all things I transplant for at least a month, every day. Read they need much phosphorus thus the bonemeal. So I am boiling it down to the sunny spot they were in. Have read they can be in partial sun or sun. So I chose a sunny spot. I am thinking there was too much sun for these plants. Flowers browned quickly. I am bummed.
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Post by ahntjudy on Jun 26, 2024 9:28:29 GMT -5
I've grown astilbe in different areas of the yard, and in sunny spots, it does not do well for me. It just burns up in the summer heat, even when well mulched. But then, as a rule, I don't water the perennials in the yard...They're on their own and the strongest survive. lilolpeapicker , unless they're beyond survival, I would dig them up and plant them in a shadier spot and see what happens.
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Post by desertwoman on Jun 26, 2024 9:46:23 GMT -5
I would dig them up and plant them in a shadier spot and see what happens. I would too. I have been pleasantly surprised to see what looked dead to revive. Unless the root is dried up there could be life in your plants.
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Jun 26, 2024 12:57:23 GMT -5
lilolpeapicker , unless they're beyond survival, I would dig them up and plant them in a shadier spot and see what happens. desertwoman, I can't imagine that the roots were yet affected though I can see when I dig it up. I have been watering well because of the heat. There is only a couple places on the property that has shade, perhaps near the honeysuckle. Thanks I will try.
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Post by desertwoman on Jun 26, 2024 13:02:44 GMT -5
I would be inclined to dig it up in a large root ball and not disturb the roots. So I wouldn't see what the roots actually look like. And I'd give it some time to re sprout leaves, before giving up on it. lilolpeapicker , I'm in a similar situation with trumpet vine volunteers I am nursing. Working on being patient.
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Post by breezygardener on Jun 26, 2024 15:45:03 GMT -5
Astilbe don't do well in full sun. Definitely partial shade/sun to dapple/semi-full shade works best for them. They'll fry in sun in the summer months & may not bounce back. You'll frequent find them on lists of good perennials for shade.
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Jun 27, 2024 15:37:11 GMT -5
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Post by breezygardener on Jun 27, 2024 15:49:31 GMT -5
Should i clip the flowers? Am thinking to cut the whole plant back some. Yes - you can clip the flowers. In fact, some people use them as cut flowers instead of just deadheading. And you can prune the whole plant as well, but like you said - "some". I wouldn't do a drastic pruning since you just transplanted them, but you can cut them back to 3" or so pre-winter if you want.
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Post by Mumsey on Jul 5, 2024 17:53:36 GMT -5
They are shade plants. Had some that got a couple hours sun per day. They eventually gave up the ship. Ones at the other end of the bed that’s shade all day and they are happy.
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Jul 7, 2024 7:07:32 GMT -5
you can prune the whole plant as well, but like you said - "some". I wouldn't do a drastic pruning I pruned about 2&1/2" . Plant itself looks good. I told the owner of the Agway shop where I got them how I killed the flowers and he said yes they can go into shock. Even the ones he had in the shade looked like they browned up some but agreed they were better for the shade.
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