Re: Astilbe Secrets

Well, "hot hardy" is interesting!  Maybe some of mine resent the IL heat and
humidity.  They don't all go to h#$@ this time of the year, but at least
half do look bad right now and two have taken to the road ( expect them to
come back next year; tune in!).  It's also been fairly drought-like during
parts of the summer, though I try to water, but I can't be out there
watering already-flowered astilbes every 3-4 days; much more likely to spend
the time/water on ferns and any plants new this year.

Thanks for the tips, though.  I think I'll check their soil this Fall and
then mound some compost around them next year.

Diann

-----Original Message-----
From:   PRIMROSES [s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU] On Behalf Of
Jennifer
Sent:   Thursday, August 24, 2000 8:08 AM
To:     shadegardens@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
Subject:        Re: [SG] Astilbe Secrets

<SNIP>Come to
>think of it, I planted mine in late spring, so there might be a weather
>thingee going on, too -- perhaps they're simply not as hardy as we'd like
>them to be?
>

Are we talking 'cold hardy or hot hardy'?  I grow 8 different varieties of
Astilbe in
my Zone 3 garden.  They all grow in fairly good soil, good moisture and
light shade with either
morning sun or late afternoon sun.  They took a year to get adjusted but
then took off.
3 are going into their 5th winter and will be split this fall, some
replanted and some
given away.  The first one I planted years ago I made the mistake of
planting it in full sun
without much water and it just sat there and did nothing. I moved it 2
springs ago
and it is doing wonderful now.  I believe that the secret to growing astilbe
is to give it
reasonable soil, good moisture and light shade.  The blooms last longer in
the light shade
and have much better colour. I still have one in bloom right now and it has
been blooming
for almost a month now, the colour has not started to fade yet and I expect
that it will
not do so until we have our first frost.

Best Regards
Jennifer
Zone 3
WPG MB CA
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