- How often do you have to water evening primroses?
- When and with what should you fertilize evening primroses?
- When and how to cut evening primroses?
- Which diseases / pests are common in evening primroses?
- How are evening primroses overwintered?
The showy evening primrose (Oenothera) develops a long succession of single, cup- to cup-shaped flowers in strong colors from June to September. The flowers are followed by interesting winged seeds in bellows-like fruits. However, the common evening primrose in particular not only adorns the garden, but can also be used in many different ways in the kitchen and in medicine. The magnificent perennials require little care.
The evening primrose is very easy to care for
How often do you have to water evening primroses?
The otherwise undemanding plant does not tolerate moist soil at all. You should therefore protect them from too much moisture, especially in winter. Only evening primroses cultivated in pots should be watered from time to time.
When and with what should you fertilize evening primroses?
Evening primroses thrive best on rather poor soil and should therefore not be fertilized too often. Basically, one fertilization at the beginning of the growth period and one more in July at the flowering time with complete fertilizer is completely sufficient. In addition, the perennial can be supplied with organic fertilizer (e.g. compost, horn shavings (€32.93) or stable manure).
When and how to cut evening primroses?
In order to extend the flowering period, you should regularly cut back faded shoots. In addition, a pruning towards the end of winter makes sense. However, if you want to obtain seeds for propagation or want to let the plant sow itself, you should leave faded flowers and cut them just before the start of the new growing season.
Which diseases / pests are common in evening primroses?
Powdery mildew - both the real and the false - are always a problem with the evening primrose. Aphids are also common and bring the unloved rust fungus with them. In addition, the gluttonous slugs love above all (but not only!) the young shoots - what tastes good to us humans also tastes good to these animals.
How are evening primroses overwintered?
The type of hibernation depends on the type and variety of evening primrose. The common evening primrose native to us is frost hardy and does not need winter protection, more exotic species such as the Missouri evening primrose or the high evening primrose should at least be piled up with some brushwood to protect them from frosty temperatures.
tips
Evening primroses are easy to propagate from seeds and cuttings. Another possibility of propagation is the division of the perennial, which even extends the lifespan of the actually only biennial plant.