| SEDUM HYBRID STONECROP AUTUMN JOY HAVE 4 AND PINK POPPET WEIGELA HAVE 3 OF THESES...ZONE 5 JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THESES PLANTS SO THEY LOOK GOOD ALL THE TIME...PLEASE RESPOND ASAP...THANKS... SANDI IN JOLIET, ILLINOIS 60431-9312 |
| Your sedum Autumn Joy requires little care, it is a very low maintenance plant. It does best in full sun and average soil. Mulch it year round with an organic mulch several inches thick. Place it in a flat layer over the root area but keep it a few inches away from the stems. This summer while it is becoming established you may need to water it. To know if you need to water, dig into the soil with your finger. If it is still damp you do not need to water yet. When you do water, water slowly and deeply so it soaks down deep and encourages deep rooting. You can topdress with compost and fertilize lightly in spring with a general purpose fertilizer such as a granular or slow release 10-10-10; read and follow the label instructions. In late fall after frost has killed the stems you may trim them off. Or, you can wait until spring to trim them back. When you trim be careful not to damage the new growth at the base of the plant. Your weigela is cared for the same way in terms of placement, feeding, watering and mulching. Any pruning should be done in the spring right after it blooms. Routine care beginning about year three would consist of removing a portion (maybe a quarter) of the oldest stems by cutting them off short at the ground. That's it. Enjoy! |
