Any tips for growing Stokesia laevis 'Bluestone' appreciated

Mine are looking puny and very yellowish, have bloomed once but are not really growing since I deadheaded. They are in a sunny bed with fast draining sandy soil with other plants; Gaillardia, sunflowers, Zinnia, Catananche caerulea and others that are doing fine. The Stokesia were planted last fall. I have to water daily because the soil is so sandy.
Thanks for your help.

Hi, angele,

I am interested in growing stokesias also. I just visited a garden where the owner planted about 12 different kinds (she collects them) and it was stunning.

She mentioned that they like acid soil, and she has hers in kind of part sun/part shade settings. (She has lots of trees in her garden).

I found this description for stoke's asters on the Terra Nova site, and maybe that will give you some clues for your situation.

http://www.terranovanurseries.com/wholesale/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=452

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Thanks Tabasco.
I have alkaline soil. I recently read that you can add white vinegar to water to help plants that like acidic soil. This gives me a chance to see if it works. I just can't remember the ratio. I think I'll start with a tablespoon to a gallon of water.

Good luck with the vinegar idea. That is new to me and worth a try.

This is my stokesia patch this year. I have the blue ones (the main ones in this photo) and a peach color one towards the rear that is more whitish than peachy. I deadhead sporadically, but my stokesia only bloom once - they are not rebloomers for me anyway. But I like them, and they are good perennials to fill in the early summer gap. I plant them in three different spots, and they bloom sequentially according to how much sun they get.

plus they make great cutflowers.

Very pretty bouquet!

The ph issue would cause yellowing, I'd bet that has been the problem. Amending the soil with peat moss and/or coffee grounds may help too, they're both acidic.

I really try to buy plants suited to the conditions where I live with few exceptions. I thought I must have missed the soil condition that this plant needs so I went back to the web site and it says soil conditions "Normal". This is such a beautiful plant, soilsandup your photos are making me drool. I think I'm going to have to dig mine up and pot them till next year when I can put them in a bed amended just for them.
Thanks for the info gemini sage, I'm going to put it to use. Let's see if I can save these poor babies.

Thanks, Tabasco and angele. I normally try to buy plants that adapts well to the conditions that I have without my doing too much work. On the other hand, I am blessed to live in an area of California with nice loamy soil and we are in the heart of an agricultural area. I still have not gotten around to pHing my soil, but I imagine that it is fairly neutral.

Happy Birthday, soilsandup!

Thanks, Gemini Sage!