Astilbe Care

After the first, put down about two inches (5 cm) of mulch around the stem. Is a tough flowering perennial that is hardy from USDA zones 3 through 9. You can then cut back all the dead material in early spring to make way for new growth.

The trick to extending astilbe plant bloom time is to install aConsider the varieties “Europa” (pale pink), “Avalanche” (white), or Fanal (deep red) if you want astilbe with late spring or early summer bloom time.For astilbe that blooms in mid-summer,...

It prefers shade and moist, loamy soil, meaning it can go in those areas where other plants often languish. If you're planting for the first time, rake your fertilizer for astilbe plants into the soil a couple weeks ahead of time.

For instance, good astilbe companion plants in zone 9 may not be good astilbe companion plants in zone 3.Lastly, it's a good idea to put astilbe with plants that begin to flower around the time it fades.tends to bloom in late spring and early summer,...

Avoid overcrowding, which can cause rot and fungal disease.Astilbe thrives in light sunlight or moderate shade. Read on to learn about growing astilbe in containers.If you want to grow one plant, start with a container with a width of at least 16 inches...

Likely the focal point of your shady summer flower bed, astilbe flowers can be recognized by their tall, fluffy plumes that tower above frilly, fern-like foliage in the shade garden.

Choose healthy, undamaged rhizomes.Prepare the bed carefully by digging at least 6 inches deep and adding compost, leaf litter or other soil amendment. Plant the divisions at the same depth in which they were harvested.

This means that it comes to you without the root ball, and that all the soil it was growing in has been cleaned off the plant. It is ready for astilbe bare root planting.A bare root plant may be sold with its roots wrapped in moist peat moss or shredded...

Astilbes do best when they are divided about every three years. This means that you dig up the plant's root ball and literally divide it by cutting it into several pieces.Dividing astilbe plants are good for the plants because it eliminates the formation...

(pronounced a-STIL-bee) are an underutilized and underappreciated perennial perfect for any moist and/or shady spot. Astilbe tend to look best when planted in groupings, since the bloom colors are all in the same color family and complement each other...

Even if you aren't one of the brave few who garden in Zone 4 or lower, the plants on this list are definitely tough enough to survive your area's worst winters.Alpine rock cress is a low growing (6 to 12 inches) perennial that blooms light pink to white...

Not for Sissies -- Sisyrinchium, Anemone and Other Tongue TwistersPlease join me next month for the last article in my pronunciation round-up:“Plant Pronunciation, Part 3: Garden Beasts and Dread Diseases""100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names";...

As it happens, there are several ferns that mature under 30 cm (12 inches) and some that rarely exceed a few centimetres. Shade need not be a detriment as many lovely ornamental plants are ideally suited to shade; hosta, astilbe, pulmonaria and primroses...

Read on to learn more about this group of woodlanders. One group you might not think of are the fairy-bells or Disporum. All the North American species produce velvety red to orange-red berries.They are hardy to at least zone 5 or zone 4 if given extra...

While some plants may not be poisonous, they may pose other dangers to young children in the form of thorny stems, sharp-edged leaves, and burr-like seeds. Species safe to grow around small children include butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), hardy in...

Feed the shrubs with an all-purpose shrub fertilizer after pruning.Plant weeping willows and red twig dogwoods near a pond for winter interest.Trees that enjoy the same sunny, damp sites as red twig dogwoods include red maples (Acer rubrum), pin and red...

You can find all the players as well, ‘Bridesmaid,' ‘Flower girl' and ‘Maid of Honor' in this wedding garden.There are also plenty of flowers that can represent the bride herself.You could also grow flowers that are traditionally held in bridal...

The Garden Helper (see Resources) has recommended amounts of sulfur to increase the acidity, depending upon whether your soil is sandy or not.Because mature pine trees deplete the moisture in the soil, you might need to add compost, peat moss or mulch...

You can remove up to half of the plant's height. Then, the stems that were pinched continue to develop and produce flowers several weeks after the first batch have faded. An good example of a plant not to pinch is a peony or any plant with blade-like...

They're after grubs, worms or other "tasty" critters eating the roots of your plants. Gardening experts and extension services offer lists of plants that are resistant to various animals.

Bottlebrush buckeye can grow into a large bush, with lush foliage and long white spikes of flowers in the early summer. In the fall, dig up and discard the spent bulbs and plant new, fresh bulbs for the following spring.Although perennials usually only...

Some tender shrubs such as lantana are also grown as annuals in the north but are not true annuals because they do not complete an entire life span within a year.Azaleas are native to Asia, North America and Europe, and many species have been crossed...

This bed may change over time. The creative name their parcels as though from an upscale estate, regardless of the meaning: Eastside Morning Garden, Vibrant Illusion Bed, Cervine Bed.

There are plenty of reputable nurseries available who offer this fern for sale, many of whom can be found right here at Dave's GardenThank you to the following for permission to use their photos:Photo taken by Christine Shivell in a woodland garden in...

Skittish at first, they will now swim to the top asking for food when they see me come close.They have grown to about 1 inch long and I have started to see characteristics of some of my original fish in the babies.One of them is about double the size...

I managed to get the roses deadheaded, perhaps because I only havefive and they are all in front. No more planting until spring. Next year II quit sometime in June this year. I talk to my plants too.

It will tolerate full sun in the north, but the same exposure can cause burned foliage in warmer climates.The narrow, strappy leaves of hakonechloa contrast particularly well with the broad, rounded foliage of hostas.