Astilbe

[MMathis]

I bought some bare root plants at Home Depot [the kind that come in a bag of peat]. When I got ready to plant them I was surprised to find that they were a mass of plant material and there wasn't really an "up" or "down" reference -- a few had sprouty things, but in my ignorance, I couldn't tell if they were stems sprouts or roots..... For the ones I couldn't tell, I planted them sideways, LOL -- well, there was a 50/50 chance.

1. Will these guys grow since they looked DEAD?
2. Will it really matter which end got planted up vs down?
3. How long before I start to see the little plants peeking out?

I was excited to learn about this plant! I love ferns, so this was the perfect combo for my new fern bed!

 

[Verdun]

Dont forget to keep them moist MMathis. Astilbes love moisture .......
Ferns, astilbes and astrantias make good bedfellows
When will you see signs of growth? Patience I guess but sometime in the spring

 

[Mark56]

I would submerge them in a bucket of water for at least 1-2 hours, they are so dry when purchased bare root from DIY stores

 

[alp]

Verdun and Mark56 are right. I bought two reduced plants and the woman staff taught me that they liked it moist and shady. They looked quite dead, but she pointed to the centres and I could see something green. She told me not to cut any of the foliage as they might help to insulate the plants against cold weather. (She's sooooo nice). So I put them somewhere shady and water them. This year, lovely new copper foliage has sprung up. The other one has got green foliage. I'm so pleased with my bargains.

 

[alp]

Funny the way you put it. Why not show us some photos? I will upload mine for you tomorrow.

 

[Verdun]

For something a bit different astilbe shogun is a beauty .....no other astilbe like it! Foliage to rival the purple acers

 

[alp]

Verdun I must keep an eye out for this. Just got my seeds for hibiscus mutabilis - the one which changes from white to pink to deeper pink throughout the day..

Alas, my germination record has ruined my confidence this year!! Skeletal remains everywhere in my lean-to!

 

[MMathis]

I would submerge them in a bucket of water for at least 1-2 hours, they are so dry when purchased bare root from DIY stores

I did that. Hope it helped.

 

[MMathis]

Dont forget to keep them moist MMathis. Astilbes love moisture .......
Ferns, astilbes and astrantias make good bedfellows
When will you see signs of growth? Patience I guess but sometime in the spring

THIS spring or NEXT spring?

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Love this plant. and love the variety of them, have several in my gardens. they come in different heights, colors and blooming shapes.

 

[Verdun]

Hopefully THIS spring MMathis
If those roots are alive and rehydrated they will grow quite quickly

Share your enthusiasm Esther for astilbes. Although my soil is prob a little on the light side it has been generously enriched to hold moisture.......hence I grow some big specimens. I the early spring foliage colour is not always fully appreciated. New foliage can be copper, red, fresh light green......for shogun read purple/black........and then those wonderful feathery plumes

 

[alp]

How do you enrich the soil to hold moisture please, Verdun?

 

[Verdun]

Hiya alp
I mix in dried manure, pelleted chicken manure, garden compost and fish blood and bone to make a rich moisture holding soil. After planting astilbes a thorough watering and a thick mulch of compost and they will thrive.

 

[alp]

Shame I have more or less used up all my bonemeal. I must try to do that on a big scale as it's so dry in Essex. Thank you, Verdun!

 

[Verdun]

Its not really about bonemeal alp.......its more about adding bulky matter to the soil