Postal lady
I didnt have the heart to throw it out being that a wonderful customer gave it to me I dont spend too much time on the porch and when Hurricane Irene swept through Middletown, NY didnt even think about the plant until I saw my lawn chairs had fallen over then I saw the plant its initial visual was only a skeleton when it died I looked over at the plant and saw it was growing and in spite of the wind and rain it withstood its ground I cried because the lady who gave me it I didnt want to tell her that it had died and now its alive but its August now and I need to know what to do to keep it alive until next summer and its about three inches tall
1 Answer
lindilou
Care
Water freely when in growth and sparingly otherwise. In the summer, water if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
Avoid fertilizing butterfly bush; too much fertility supports leaf growth over flower production.
Remove spent flower spikes to encourage new shoots and flower buds.
Each spring, apply a thin layer of compost and mulch to retain moisture and control weeds.
In cold Northern climates, spread mulch up to 6 inches deep around the trunk to nurture it through the winter.
Buddleias are very late to break dormancy, so don't be in a hurry to assess winter damage.
The bush should bloom abundantly even in its first year. In warmer climates, the bushes will grow into trees and develop rugged trunks that peel; peeling is normal.
In the northern limit of their range, they behave as herbaceous perennials, dying back to the root in cold winters.
Since they bloom on new wood, even if there is no die-back, cut them back to the ground every spring. Even where winters are mild enough for the stems to survive, prune severely to stimulate abundant growth on which flowers are borne.
Pests
Susceptible to capsid bug, caterpillars, weevils, mullein moth, and spider mites.
Fungal leaf spots and die-backs can occur.
MORE >>> http://www.almanac.com/plant/butterfly-bush
| 12 years ago. Rating: 3 | |
