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Re: [PRIMROSES] Astilbe

> Hi, Clyde.  I have the same problem with astilbes.  I have had some success
> with drowning them in bone meal each fall, and dividing them every 4 or 5
> years.  But I definitely do NOT have the luxuriant plumes one sees in the
> catalogues.  Mine are in high shade, moderate moisture, ordinary garden
> loam with sandy loam about 10" down; pH 6.9-7.2.  The plants are crowded in
> one area and well-spaced in another; the varieties are Fanal, Deutschland,
> the coral-pink one, and A. pumila chinensis.  Anybody have any suggestions?

I can't say I am an expert on astilbe and really don't think I give them a
lot of fuss. They do very well in the conditions I give them, so perhaps
what I do might help.

I divide mine every third year. Not all of them at once mind you, way too
many to do that plus I don't want them all to look just divided at the same
time. I divide half off and leave the other half as little disturbed (no
mean feat with the woody structure that needs to be sliced through) as
possible. All are in raised beds (works great in the Pacific Northwest but
may not be good in other areas). The beds are throurougly amended with
compost and manures and each planting hole is back filled with compost. Then
topped with a mulch, usually shredded fine bark mulch. Each year the beds
are topped with composts and manures and again mulched with fine bark mulch.
No fertilizers are used except a fish oil emulsion in spring for a jump
start. I water if rainfall is less than an inch a week.

Having said all that my astilbes didn't look as great this year as they have
in the past. We moved this year and every astilbe was divided and
transplanted leaving one half behind and the other half to the new gardens.
The soil is not good (yet!) and the astilbes probably had culture (grin)
shock. The beds are being worked on in the manner above and should be in the
condition of my old gardens in another year or two.

I have grown them in full sun conditions, but Pacific Northwest full sun is
a lot different than many areas of the country. I found they needed a lot
more care in watering and they didn't seem to thrive as well for me.

Another note, when I first started growing astilbe's some were placed in an
area where they had to compete with tree roots. Too dry for them and they
didn't do as well. I find that open shade with morning sun or dappled shade
seems to be their preference and a humous rich soil and moisture is what
they thrive in. They are easy care plants when growing in the right
environment. After beds are properly prepared and they are established it's
a matter of adding humous every year and dividing every third year. I leave
the dried plumes on for winter and tidy them up when they are just poking
their fuzzy  furls out of the ground. You can fertilize them if you feel the
need but I find other than the jump start of nitrogen in the spring the
added amendments are all they really need. Give them a year or two to really
start looking great and blooming those blooms you see in the catalogs.

Oh ph, we tend toward acid soil here, I never correct for it although some
beds may get limed I have never noticed any difference in the astilbes. Not
that I was keeping notes on it either!

One I recommend for a real plumy affect is A. 'Ostrich Plume' and salmon
pink color. There is a red form and white one sorry don't know the name off
the top of my head but on my wish list.  A. chinensis 'Pumila'  tends to be
more spikey than plumed IMO. Astilbe 'Irrlicht' a white one is another
plumey but smaller variety, I enjoy.

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Debra Teachout-Teashon
Pacific Northwest Gardening
Fuchsias Grow Great in the Pacific Northwest!
http://www.suite101.com/topics/page.cfm/416
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