Good substitute for Obsidian Heuchera
starshine12650
5 years ago
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Cut back heuchera's now?
Comments (9)For the last few years, in early spring I have been cutting back the old leaves and then I cut off the new growth of the crown, especially if it is getting to be a tall stalk. I stick it in some starting soil and keep it moist in my cold frame so it roots and I get a new plant. I fertilize the mother plant and it grows back just as good or better than before. It's a little drastic, but it works really well and I love getting free new plants. Exact timing depends on your climate, obviously, but I already did it this year several weeks ago and have lots of new growth. Here is a link that might be useful: I got the idea here....See MoreDoes Heuchera Blackout look just like Palace Purple?
Comments (5)I'm not suggesting yanking it out or anything. If nothing else, they look good and healthy. It's more that at this time of year, I have the time to walk around and notice things, and wonder out loud, as it were. Later on, I'll be too busy (I have a seasonal business that gets very busy from early June onward) to be observant, much less move anything around. :) They will get a lot of sun in that spot (morning sun until about 1 pm), so will get as black as they can. coolplantsguy, I've noticed that variability in PP before. I bought about 20 in quart size about 10 years ago to edge a bed, not really paying much attention when I picked them out as to whether they matched each other. Sometime later I noticed that I had at least 3 kinds that looked different, mostly in the gloss of the leaves, but also in color and shape....See MoreObsidian?
Comments (6)Hi Ginny, I have four Obsidian for 3 years. They are by far my favorite deep Purple heucheras, and the only one that retained the nice deep purple and shing color among my purple ones throughout the hot and dry summer last year. Mine gets several hours of afternoon sun. They grow fast and retain the neat and compact shape. Hope you will enjoy yours as much as I have with mine. Vivian...See MoreHeuchera Newbie
Comments (20)Hi Susan. The deeper part of this bed (further in the pic) gets a lot more shade so I tended to plant the lime green colored ones (Lime Rickey, Electric Lime, and some Heucherellas). Toward the front of the picture, this part receives more sunlight. So I planted the reds, blacks, darker greens, and others that tend to like more sun (Berry Smoothie, Fire Alarm, Lava Lamp, Obsidian, Cherry Cola, Marvelous Marble, Caramel, etc.). I tried to spread out the colors so the color scheme looks random. I did use different kind of ground covers though for those with lighter colored leaves. For example, instead of using creeping jenny (which has chartreuse color) around Southern Comfort and Kassandra, I planted Mazus Reptans which has solid green color and I think they compliment each other more. I also planted Ajuga 'chocolate chip' (darker green colors) as ground cover in the shady part of the bed. As for space between each plant, I just made sure I have enough room to walk in there to pull the weeds! So far, each plant seems to like their spot and has grown nicely. Keeping fingers crossed for the summer!...See Morestarshine12650
5 years agostarshine12650
5 years agoraee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agostarshine12650 thanked raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohiosherrygirl zone5 N il
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agostarshine12650 thanked sherrygirl zone5 N ilstarshine12650
5 years agostarshine12650
5 years agohydrangeahead Central WI 4b
5 years agostarshine12650
5 years ago
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