Speedwell spoils us with sky-blue clouds of blossoms and magnificent Veronica candles in the rock garden, the perennial bed and along the banks of the pond. So that the virtuoso perennial of the year decorates the garden for a long time, all important questions about the cultivation of the multifaceted plant should be clarified. Discover expert answers here.

Speedwell can be stimulated to rebloom by pruning

Table of Contents

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  1. Plant speedwell properly
  2. care tips
  3. Which location is suitable?
  4. The right planting distance
  5. What soil does the plant need?
  6. What is the best planting time?
  7. When is flowering time?
  8. Cut speedwell properly
  9. pour speedwell
  10. Fertilize speedwell properly
  11. hibernate
  12. increase speedwell
  13. How do I plant correctly?
  14. Is speedwell poisonous?
  15. How can I effectively fight speedwell in the lawn?
  16. Beautiful varieties

    17. Plant speedwell properly

    In order to live up to its status as perennial of the year, professional planting creates the best starting conditions. Both spring from mid-May and a mild day in September/October can be considered as planting times. The still potted root ball is soaked in a vessel with water while you prepare the soil. If the flower calls for rich soil, add compost and horn shavings (€32.93). For a rock garden plant, enrich the clod with a little sand and fine grit. After the preparation, proceed as follows:

    • Dig a pit 1-5 times the volume of the root ball
    • Unpot the plant and plant it in the optimized soil up to the lower pair of leaves
    • Press the substrate down with your hands and water

    If it's a perennial that grows as tall as a man, place a support stake close by and tie the plant down with raffia or special ties.

    care tips

    If you assign speedwell to a species-appropriate location, the care program is limited to the following factors:

    • Water the perennial during summer drought
    • Fertilize with compost and horn shavings at the beginning of the flowering period
    • Cut off wilted flowers for an autumn rebloom
    • Evergreen species are pruned close to the ground in spring

    The frost-resistant plant does not require winter protection. However, wrap a bucket or flower box (€16.99) thickly in bubble wrap and place the container on wood so that the root ball does not freeze through. To be on the safe side, small pots are placed in a frost-free winter quarters.

    Which location is suitable?

    The Bund Deutscher Staudengärtner bows to the versatility of Ehrenpreis by naming the flower Perennial of the Year 2007. The plant expresses its virtuosity not least with regard to the divergent site requirements that its numerous species cover. A small excerpt from more than 450 species:

    • Meadow speedwell: sunny location in a fresh, damp perennial bed, nutrient-rich and well-drained
    • Stalked speedwell: sunny to semi-shady location in sandy-loamy to dry soil, rich in lime
    • Candelabra speedwell: sunny to semi-shady place with moist soil without waterlogging
    • Bachbunge: Sunny to semi-shady locations with moist to wet soil with a slightly acidic component

    The right planting distance

    Within the multifaceted genus, specimens can be found with growth heights between a graceful 10 cm and a breathtaking 2 meters. For orientation, we have listed the most important data for the ideal planting distance below:

    • Growth height 10-15 cm and width 20-30 cm corresponds to a planting distance of 30 cm
    • Growth height 20-30 cm and width 20-30 cm corresponds to a planting distance of 25 cm
    • Growth height 50-80 cm and width 30-40 cm corresponds to a planting distance of 40 cm
    • Growth height 90-140 cm and width 60-90 cm corresponds to a planting distance of 90 cm

    The mighty speedwell varieties all clearly exceed the 1 meter mark and should be planted in such a way that one specimen thrives per square meter.

    What soil does the plant need?

    In terms of soil conditions, no universal statement can be made for the speedwell flower. Match the soil to your favorite perennial so that it can develop to its optimum. For example, a stream drill in the rock garden soil will sadly languish while the moisture-loving plant thrives on the muddy shore area of your pond system. So that the largest species, the candelabra speedwell, can develop its majestic stature, fresh, moist, nutrient-rich and humus-rich soil is required.

    What is the best planting time?

    Plant a speedwell perennial that you have grown yourself or that you have bought ready-made in May or September. If you settle the flower in the garden by sowing, the suitable time window is in April and May. Alternatively, prefer the plant behind glass, which is possible from mid/late February when the light conditions on the windowsill improve.

    When is flowering time?

    From spring to the first frost, the tireless flower adorns the garden and the planter, if you succeed in an adequate combination. With more than 450 speedwell species and countless varieties, you can confidently draw from the full. The following suggestion may get your ideas flowing:

    • Stalked Speedwell: Flowering from April to August
    • Meadow speedwell: flowering period from May to July and second flowering in September/October
    • Longleaf speedwell: flowering from July to August and reblooming until the first frost

    Since the plant has a repeating property, you can extend the flowering period by weeks, depending on your mood. To do this, in the case of the appropriate species, cut back the perennial by a third to a hand's breadth above the ground after the first flowering.

    Cut speedwell properly

    Speedwell mostly thrives as a reblooming perennial. This trait implies the ability to rebloom by cutting off the flower tuft by a third to a hand's breadth above the ground after the first round. If self-reproduction of the flower by self-sowing is desired, some specimens should be exempted from pruning. The plant receives the main pruning in early spring, just before fresh shoots. Until then, numerous winter-green Veronica varieties adorn the otherwise so dreary garden

    pour speedwell

    Water the perennial so that it never dries out. The site conditions determine the frequency. Check the moisture level of the soil every 2-3 days to decide on the water needs of each flower individually. For a plant in a tub or balcony box, there is regularly an increased demand for water due to the limited substrate volume.

    Fertilize speedwell properly

    In nutrient-rich soil, speedwell develops its magnificent habit with long-lasting flowering on its own. If the soil does not meet the ideal conditions, the perennial will gladly accept an organic starter fertilization at the beginning of the flowering period. Compost, leaf soil, guano, (121.99€) bark humus, horn shavings or plant manure are suitable. However, avoid the administration of nitrogen-rich complete fertilizer, as this promotes leaf growth at the expense of the flower pile.

    hibernate

    As a native perennial, speedwell is fully hardy. With the onset of the frosty season, the above-ground parts of the plant die off on deciduous species. An evergreen plant stays out until early spring before it pulls in its foliage. At the beginning of the vegetation period, fresh shoots sprout from the overwintered rootstock. Therefore, no special precautions need to be taken in the bed. In the pot and balcony box there is of course the danger that the root ball will freeze through. Containers with a diameter of less than 30 cm move to a frost-free winter quarters as a precaution.

    increase speedwell

    Although the plant diligently multiplies in the bed by means of runners and seedlings, speedwell fans are still on the lookout for methods of controlled offspring. Choose from the following approaches:

    • Sow behind glass from mid-February
    • Direct sowing in the bed in April and May
    • Division of the rootstock in spring
    • Head cuttings during the summer flowering period

    If it is a runner-forming plant, separate strong root strands and divide them into 10-15 cm long segments. As long as a section has at least one bud, it will quickly turn into an adult flower in suitable soil.

    How do I plant correctly?

    An extremely long-lived perennial, speedwell only requires rejuvenation by division and transplanting every 6 to 10 years. If the plant begins to gradually bare from the middle, you should take action in April. Dig up the entire rootstock and shake off the soil. With a sharp knife or spade, divide the plant into two or more segments. Cut out the wasting areas completely to dispose of them. At the previous or new location, place the rejuvenated perennial in fresh soil, while maintaining the previous planting depth.

    Is speedwell poisonous?

    A variety of opulent Speedwell species is rich in valuable ingredients. Therefore, the herbaceous plant has played a role in folk medicine for generations. First and foremost, the essential oils help to alleviate respiratory diseases. In addition, the tender leaves of speedwell (Veronica officinalis) and other species, like watercress, can be prepared into a tasty vegetable or fresh salad. There can therefore be no question of poisonous content in this perennial.

    How can I effectively fight speedwell in the lawn?

    Speedwell does not always cause enthusiasm when it spreads out in the garden. First and foremost, its sky-blue flowers are not well-liked to be seen in the lawn. Since the perennial grows much more frugally and undemandingly than the noble lawn grasses, it wins the race for supremacy. As a result, the previously velvety green lawn is transformed into a patchwork carpet full of holes. It doesn't have to come to that. The following methods have proven effective in combating speedwell in lawns:

    • Mechanical control: scarify regularly; cut out individual specimens
    • Chemical control with Banvel M, Weedex or Hedomat

    Do not mow the lawn deeper than 4 cm. In this way, the lawn grasses cast enough shade on the plant so that it is cut off from sunlight and photosynthesis comes to a standstill.

    Beautiful varieties

    • Blue John: Violet-blue meadow speedwell, which convinces the experts in current sightings; Growth height 50-80 cm
    • Georgian Blue: Stalked Speedwell as a gorgeous deep blue ground cover for the rock garden and grave; Growth height 10-15 cm
    • Bachbunge: Bach flower that tolerates moisture, which sets the scene with blue blossoms at the edge of the pond; Growth height 20-30 cm
    • Pink Damask: Long-leaved speedwell as a premium variety with lilac or pink flower spikes; Growth height 50-60 cm
    • Heidekind: The perfect variety for the flower-strewn steppe and cottage garden with purple-pink spikes, growth height 30 cm
    • Silbersee: Silvery shimmering foliage underlines picturesque deep blue panicles of flowers on creeping shoots; Growth height 15-20 cm
    • Apollo: Majestic speedwell whose flower candles are composed of lavender blue starry flowers; Growth height 140 cm

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Herbs