Heuchera Hoedown.....

I keep thinking about last years' Heuchera Hoedown...... I lost most of my plants from the Hoedown and felt that it was because it was so late in the season...I suppose if I were in a more southern region, it would not have been as much of a factor.

Just wondering if there was any interest out there to do another one or do you think this is something that we would have a higher success rate if we did this in the Spring so we have an entire growing season for our babies to get well established?

I would also include in this list Heucherellas and Tiarelllas.....

I would appreciate your thoughts.....

My personal opinion it would be better in the Spring (longer growing season) and yes include Heucherellas and Tiarellas. It has been a bad season for my heucheras-lost a number of three year old plants - due to rain, slugs etc. in the Northeast. Hope next season is better.

I participated last year and have also been thinking about this! I went into this forum to open a new post, and you beat me! I'm glad other people are also thinking about it.

I recieved four plants last year and three of them lived. If there is enough intest maybe we can do two, like the hosta swap, a Spring and a Fall.

I am in either way! I have been dividing plants all summer in preperation for this, so I can send plants with better root systems.

I can help if you need it!

I would like to participate as well. It sounds like fun.

Cathy

I lost 3 out of my 5, so I would like to have the Hoedown in the Spring too, but I'll do what everybody else wants to do.......

id me in

I would participate in spring, sounds great - thank you, Carolyn! I've been fortunate with the ones I received. They've all survived and grown except Citronelle that's being a bit of a problem child... she just doesn't seem to want to grow.

medinac,
I'm about 20 miles north and west of you. I planted 3 Citronelle in early July. They are in an area that is shady in the AM, sunny from mid afternoon to sunset. It's a "shelf" planting in a retaining wall but the end they're at is open to the lawn (for drainage). Watered every other day (water restrictions) after transplanting for a week or two. After that, I hate to admit it but haven't given them much care other than a sprinkle of water whenever I've doused the rest of the garden during a week of no rain. Little to no transplant shock. Older leaves still firm and showy. Thick new growth in the middle. So the plants are apparently healthy and thriving. However, compared to the other two cultivars planted at the same time/same area/same treatment (Georgia Peach and Pinot Noir) it hasn't increased much in circumference. If it was a single plant I would be fretting a little about size but it's a grouping of three and is working well in its spot.

Anyhow, just wanted to let you know how Citronelle was doing at another site in your vicinity. Sounds like we're seeing the same thing. Don't know if this is normal for Citronelle (slow increase) or to our area.

~Sharon

Sharon - Thanks for the info. I think Citronelle may just be a smaller plant. Mine gets some morning sun as well as the same amount of afternoon as yours and I think would do better with more shade, she's got some leaf burn on the outer leaves. She's scheduled to be moved when I get around to it.

You're welcome and good luck with the transplanting. Thanks for the feedback too about Citronelle probably being a smaller plant. Time will tell for both of us if there's more size but slower with this one or not. I'll need to spread them out if and when they fill in more. Meanwhile that electric green sure looks nice! Enjoy :)

~Sharon

I got a Citronelle 26 inches accross and 14 inches high growing in a 20 gal nursery pot where it will stay forever. Get about 5 hours of sun from 7 to 11 am. I just bought and planted this one in May from a small 6 inch nursery pot. One of my favorites of the villosa.

Good to know that I'm waiting for something with the Citronelle, Ikozarksgarden and will keep a close watch for growth. So if it's not smaller, it's slower - at least in our neck of the woods or maybe just our two gardens. Wouldn't that be something? :)

Thanks for the info!

~Sharon

For me, I'm thinking it's just not in it's happy place. It's good to know that it's capable of getting very large. I do know mine's getting too much afternoon sun so she's gotta be moved anyhow. I'm planning on putting her as an underplanting by my Tardiva Hydrangeas. She'll only get afternoon sun there and it's color should brighten up that area. Now I'm waiting to see if Miracle will change her color soon with the cool nights we're having. That will be a nice change from it's boring green color. That is one for me that can handle lots and lots of sun though.

Medinac

let us know if your Miracle changes to some interesting colors - I am waiting for the same thing. So far, I have been rather disappointed with Miracle.

I had trouble with Miracle also. It was real small when I got it. A horticulturist in St louis told me that some heuchera take a long time to adapt in very small sizes and often do not. I am not sure just what she was saying. I kind of got the impression she meant in a very controlled enviorment like a green house. That sure does not apply to purple palace. I see these tiny spouts sticking up that you can transplant with a teaspoon and I can take them to some spot in the yard I want one and plant it and in a month are so it is 4 times larger. Purple place is really a outstand plant to me

Oh I definitely agree. I think that's the one that initially got everyone hooked on heuchera. It is so hardy, grows anywhere. My neighbor's is about 4' x 4' and she's - I hesitate to say this - literally ripped some of it out around the edges and it just keeps going and going. It's the energizer bunny of heuchera!

Palace Purple is what got me started too...... I am finding they cannot come up with the new ones fast enough for me....

Carolyn - What's going on here??? No one is interested in a spring hoedown? Maybe if we post it again in February or March, closer to Spring people will have the gardening itch and want to swap..

Cheryl

Cheryl

I am thinking that spring is best too..... I think I would have a better chance of everything getting established before having to deal with the winter.....It gives us something to look forward to ^_^

This is my first real year of growing Heucheras, although I have had several for quite a long time, not paying much attention to them. Now that I have just "gone to town" on them, I would love to get in on the Spring hoedown. Let's hope that all of my new acquisitions make it through this Ohio winter. Do you all mulch after the first killing frost? Susan

I really have no idea exactly what a heuchera hoedown is. I am one of the original people that requested this forum but have been off DG for awhile. If it is a trade deal I would not be interested.


Skeeler---- No idea where Medina is in Ohio but my daughter lives in Columbus and her Heuchera do real well. I would not fear the winter so much as heat and humidity of summer. In Ohio you seem to have those cooler evenings and night than here in the ozarks.

Susan - Mulching around heucheras helps for the winter. I usually chop up my leaves with the lawn mower a few times and then put them around the plant but not touching the base. Sometimes they heave over the winter/spring with thawing, so this helps.

ikozarks - Yes, the hoedown is a trade. We did that last fall and those involved traded, I think it was, 5 plants to make it worthwhile for the price of postage. The postage for 2 day mail was around $9 or $10, so I got 5 new plants for $2 each. I was happy. It's fun if you have plants that need dividing for rejuvenation.

Are we still doing the hoedown? I have some that were divided last year that can be traded.

I would still like to do this and I have been thinking about this also. I have some that could definitely be divided....

I can be in too. I have to go out and see what can be divided. I have to move stuff so it's a good time for me to divide. I hope our weather cooperates, it's been rainy and cold.

bisa - How are you? How many so you have to trade? I guess we have to come up with an amount to trade.

I will look in the gardens to see what I have...but I if everyone has five that would be great. I think that last time a few people only had four and we matched those people up. If we can get a few people to participate I think we still have time to ship this spring.

Started an interest thread for the Heuchera Hoedown

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1100378/