Archive for the full-sun tag

False indigo growing tips

June 27, 2019 • Leave a Comment

I have 4 false indigos (Baptisia) by my house that were doing great some years ago, but now are very leggy and die off by midsummer. I have 4 other ones near a large pine tree that look magnificent. The ones by my house used to look this way. These plants have been here since we moved into our house 15 years ago. Is there anything I can do to get them back to their full size?

There are two clues in your Baptisia predicament. The first hint is the four plants “near a large pine tree” are magnificent. The second hint is the plants by the house “have been there since you moved in 15 years ago.”

False indigo wants full sun for best performance. Although they like rich soils, they are very tolerant of poor soil and arid conditions, which is what they have around the large pine tree. Since the ones by your house used to look that way, it’s possible a matured tree canopy now diminishes access to full sun. In shade, false indigo gets leggy and needs to be staked. They also spread by rhizomes out from the main base and can consume considerable garden space. Your false indigos have that elbow room out at the pine. The false indigo next to your house may have used up all the space they had available in 15 years, particularly if they are confined by a house foundation and a nearby concrete walk or driveway. There’s no place for them to go.

Since we are moving into the heat of summer, wait until fall to cut back and dig up the false indigos along your house and divide them. Replenish and amend the soil in the area and transplant a limited number of small divisions back to this area. If examining the overhead tree canopy reveals access to full sun is compromised, you can plan to stake the transplanted divisions or simply add them to the great crop you have growing out by the pine.

Transplanting hydrangeas

April 10, 2017 • 2 Comments

I realized that my 3-year-old ‘Nikko Blue’ hydrangeas are planted in full sun and need to be moved. Can I transplant them to another location and, if so, when should that be done? J.K., Canton

Don’t panic and brandish a shovel at your ‘Nikko Blues’ just yet! Your “full sun” could have some ameliorating conditions that dilute the intensity of the light. Although hydrangeas are natural woodland plants, they can handle full sun if moisture is consistent and they are protected from midday sun, the real scorcher of the day. That said, their preference is dappled shade. That can be achieved even with a high tree canopy. Greater consideration should be given to desiccating wind patterns and protection from those.

If you still feel you need to transplant your shrubs, fear not. A hydrangea’s root ball in most cases is quite compact and generally comes out of the ground with a good quantity of soil adhering to its roots. This enables transplanting with a minimum slow down in growth. At three years old, yours should still be a size that you can handle easily. Late spring is the best time to plant or transplant your hydrangeas. Keep as much soil around the root balls as possible. The top of the root ball should be just below ground level in its new home. Make sure you put a little leaf compost in the bottom of the hole and spread out the roots into the new space.

Why is my Russian sage flopping to the ground?

August 4, 2011 •

I have 3 Russian sage plants (2 different varieties) planted in partial to full sun. They are 2 to 4 years old. They flop along the ground and will not grow upright. I remember having a Russian sage several years ago that did the same thing. What am I doing wrong?

Russian sage can flop in mid-season, once it has attained the bulk of its normal height. Partial sun conditions can cause the plant to “stretch” a bit, looking for the sun. Such excessive growth can cause the stems to become top-heavy, and then flop.

The plants like a full day of sun when they can get it. Usually 8 hours is best. They are also drought-tolerant once they become established. If they are kept warmer and drier, you’ll frequently find they tend to stay somewhat shorter and more compact, and are more able to hold themselves upright.

There are supports available that consist of a ring that has a grid in it. The plants will grow through this grid, and partially hide it while they grow. So, if you have given Russian sage all the sun that you can, and the plants still flop over, try using one of these supports, or even a regular peony ring.

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