I planted yarrow a couple of years ago. it grew like crazy among the daylilies, bloomed, then fell over. I dug it up and replanted unsuccessfully in more lean soil. It is coming back this spring in the original spot. I want to put it in a pot. Can I just use regular Miracle Grow potting mix? Will that be too rich for it or is there a potting mix for yarrow? Thanks for any help.

They are not particular about the soil mix, although many of the ones from big box stores are very rich and can cause floppiness. Try mixing with fine orchid bark, perlite or pumice to reduce it.

I'd start with a cactus mix and add a lot of pumice or perlite. Same approach as Cal, only moreso.

Hi Flowersgalore

Was the problem partly caused by the yarrow being somewhat shaded by surrounding daylily foliage? I think yarrow grows strongest with full sun all the way to the ground.

Yarrow can generally be made less floppy by cutting it back, forcing it to branch low, which helps it be more stable. Such as, when it's 6" high cut it back to 3". Then when it's 12" high cut it back to 6". This is supposing it's one that will grow fairly tall otherwise - say 30".

There are many newer cultivars of yarrow which are much shorter and sturdier but you already know this one will be floppy if not handled differently.

Cutting back will delay the flowering somewhat. If I remember correctly Tracy DiSabato Aust in her book "The Well Tended Perennial Garden" said that a yarrow clump pruned back in 2 steps to different heights produced a longer-blooming clump with flowers at 3 heights. I intend to try it when one of mine is large enough.

I've grown them in pots in ordinary ProMix with fertilizer as seedlings. They grew well, but they weren't kept there til flowering size, just til transplanted. So I don't know if they would have become floppy.

If you grow one very lean it may work or it may just look ratty. It's not a cactus or a succulent.

Pat

I guess the first question should have been, when you say "unsuccessfully," do you mean that it died after transplanting? Did you give it adequate water? And yes, as Hortaholic asks, was it getting adequate sun?

My thinking would have been the same as yours: that if the daylilies were happy, the soil was probably too heavy with organic matter for yarrow. I think your instincts were right and can't diagnose why it failed without more information. Although the two most common garden yarrows (Achillea millefolium and A. filipendulina) are known for adaptability, they are Mediterranean plants and prone to flopping in rich or excessively fertilized conditions. They thrive with regular moderate irrigation but they will not tolerate wet feet, hence the need for excellent drainage in pots...more grit, less peat. Treat it like lavender.

If you are dealing with Achillea millefolium - that one is a runner - wherever it's planted - so I would definitely follow any of the above and put it in a pot

Thank you all for your responses. No, shade was not an issue. I think the soil was too rich. I probably overbaby my daylilies with mulch and compost....and water.

It is an Achillea millefolium, "New Vintage Violet". Did not know there was a trailing yarrow. It is advertised as having upright sturdy stems.

It's actually coming back in two places. I think I'll tone down the potting mix as suggested and move one to a pot and try cutting the other back as it grows.

Thanks again.

In case you misunderstood me (or I misunderstood you ) a "runner" is not a trailing plant but one that spreads out horizontally by long runners - rather like most monarda or twitch grass or mint - I could go on listing runners for hours

I've been fortunate to have avoided those , but my current clump varieties do increase in girth and need dividing every couple of years or so. I definitely pot my mints however!