- Plant heather properly
- care tips
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- What is the best planting time?
- When is flowering time?
- Cut heather properly
- watering heather
- Fertilize heather properly
- hibernate
- grow heather
- How do I plant correctly?
- Heather in the pot
- Is heather poisonous?
- brown leaves
- Yellow leaves
- Beautiful varieties
With heather, floral opulence moves into all garden regions that suffer from poor, acidic soil. Within the multifaceted genus, it is primarily Calluna vulgaris that has conquered our hearts. In summer, the evergreen common heather comes into its own with panicles of white, pink or purple flowers and lasts until December. If you still have questions about cultivation on your mind, you will find informative answers here.
Beautiful, easy to care for and insensitive to the cold: the heather
Table of Contents
Show all- Plant heather properly
- care tips
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- What is the best planting time?
- When is flowering time?
- Cut heather properly
- watering heather
- Fertilize heather properly
- hibernate
- grow heather
- How do I plant correctly?
- Heather in the pot
- Is heather poisonous?
- brown leaves
- Yellow leaves
- Beautiful varieties
- Water heather with lime-free water as soon as the soil has dried
- Fertilize with acidic leaf or needle compost in March/April
- Give a liquid fertilizer in the pot every 4-6 weeks from April to August
- Slightly cut back last year's shoots by half in March/April
- Sunny to partially shaded position
- Surrounded by air and without summer heat build-up
- Poor in nutrients, humus-loose soil with good water drainage
- Lime-free and acidic with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5
- Cut off the previous year's shoots by half with garden shears
- Do not cut into the old wood, as Calluna vulgaris will find it difficult to sprout again
- At the same time, thin out the entire small shrub thoroughly
- Cut out deadwood close to the ground, as well as stunted and inward-pointing branches
- Cut half-woody cuttings in summer and root them in pots with potting soil
- Pull flexible branches to the ground in spring, bury in the middle and cut off when a root system has established
- Dig up the root ball in autumn, divide it and plant it in the new location
- Keep the substrate constantly slightly moist
- Preferably pour with soft water
- Fertilize with liquid every 4-6 weeks from March to August
- Cut off last year's growth by half in March/April
- Brina: Noble summer heather with ruby red, double flowers for heather gardens, tubs and window boxes; Growth height 10-30 cm
- Boskoop: common heather with lilac flowers above golden yellow foliage; a feast for the eyes in every season; Growth height 20-30 cm
- Westerlee Gold: Calluna vulgaris flowers white from September to October with golden yellow leaves; Growth height 20-30 cm
- Angie: The variety scores with a long flowering period in light red flowers from August to November; Growth height 20-30 cm
- Rosita: The little jewel blooms in pure pink from October to December in beds and tubs; Growth height 10-20 cm
- Beoley Silver: Premium variety that underscores the white flowers with silvery shimmering foliage; Growth height 30-35 cm
Plant heather properly
Plant common heather either in April/May or September/October in a sunny to partially shaded location. The soil there should be lean, loose-humus and acidic. Since a single Calluna vulgaris lacks expressiveness, we recommend planting in small tuffs with 3-5 specimens or in a wide arrangement as ground cover. Therefore, create small planting holes at a distance of 20-30 cm to enrich the excavation with bog bed soil or leaf compost. Meanwhile, the still potted root balls of the young heather herbs are allowed to drink their fill in soft water. Place the potted dwarf shrubs in the center of the planting pit and fill the cavity with substrate to just below the lower leaves. After dousing with soft water, we recommend spreading a mulch layer of fall leaves or pine needles.
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care tips
The professional care program for a common heather is based on a balanced water balance, because a Calluna vulgaris rarely compensates for drought stress. All other aspects of successful cultivation rank behind it. How to do it right:
While light winter protection only makes sense in the bed in the year of planting, common heather in pots should be protected from the rigors of winter every year. Wrap planters with foil or jute and cover the substrate with autumn leaves. Keep watering to keep the root ball from drying out.
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Which location is suitable?
In terms of light and temperature conditions, common heather is undemanding. It is more specific when the focus is on the soil conditions at the location. We have compiled all relevant criteria for you here:
Common heather likes to socialize with other plants that prefer acidic soil, such as conifers, rhododendrons and ornamental grasses.
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What soil does the plant need?
You experience common heather in its most beautiful form when the soil is lean, freshly moist and acidic in structure. A pH value of 4.5 to 5.5 is just right for the Calluna vulgaris varieties, because the ornamental shrubs do not want to have anything to do with lime. An uncomplicated test from the garden center clears up all doubts, unless there are already typical indicator plants on site, such as pansies, daisies, ornamental grasses or speedwells.
What is the best planting time?
Common heather grown in the container can be planted at any time. On the other hand, avoid times when there is a summer drought or when the ground is already frozen. Calluna vulgaris get the best starting conditions for a long plant life when the planting takes place in autumn. The roots establish themselves particularly quickly in sun-warmed soil.
When is flowering time?
Calluna vulgaris usually blooms from August to November. Thanks to innovative new breeds, there are magnificent hybrids to choose from, which delight us with their blooms from July to December. As a rule of thumb, varieties with single flowers show more staying power than heathers with double flowers. Cut back the small ornamental shrubs in spring to make room for the next blossom festival.
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Cut heather properly
Characteristic of common heather are its lush branching and leisurely growth. In order to maintain the willingness to bloom and vitality, we recommend an annual pruning. The best time for this important care measure is an overcast, frost-free day in March or April. How to do it right:
After a very mild winter, bring the date forward to February, as premature new growth is to be expected.
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watering heather
If common heather is subject to drought stress, the ornamental shrub reacts by irrigating. Within a few days, all the flowers and leaves fall sadly to the ground. To prevent this from happening, water Calluna vulgaris regularly when the surface of the soil has dried. In the best case, use decalcified tap water, collected rainwater or pond water. A layer of mulch reduces the need for watering, as leaves, pine needles or bark mulch keep the soil moist for longer.
Fertilize heather properly
Besenheide is satisfied with an organic initial fertilization in spring. Ideally, add acidic leaf or coniferous compost to the roots. If you water regularly with nutrient-rich pond water, there is no need to add fertilizer. A mulch layer of leaves or pine needles prevents deficiency symptoms from even appearing. If a Calluna vulgaris thrives in a pot or balcony box, add a liquid fertilizer to the substrate every 4-6 weeks.
hibernate
Common heather is one of the hardy heather plants. Especially in the bed, frosty temperatures cannot harm the autumnal perpetual bloomers. Winter drought is more dangerous than freezing temperatures. If there is no snow or rain, water with lime-free water on mild days. In the year of planting, we recommend a mulch layer of leaves and pine needles, as young Calluna vulgaris have not yet fully developed their winter hardiness.
grow heather
The numerous propagation methods are among the many advantages of heather. There is a suitable approach for every hobby gardener:
The sowing of common heather, on the other hand, is laborious and time-consuming. Since these are light and cold germs, it will take 2-3 years before you can enjoy the first flowers.
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How do I plant correctly?
Besenheide readily accepts a change of location. Dig up the root ball in fall or spring. Put the dwarf shrub in loose, humus-rich and acidic soil at the new location. Maintain the previous planting depth as far as possible and water with soft water. If you enrich the excavation with leaf compost or bog bed soil, this measure has a vitalizing effect on further growth.
Heather in the pot
In pots, common heather creates autumnal cheer on balconies and terraces in sunny to partially shaded locations. We recommend rhododendron earth as a substrate, enriched with lava granules (€13.99) or expanded clay. (€19.73) Cover the water drain in the ground with a piece of pottery shards as an effective prophylactic against waterlogging. How to properly care for the distinctive Calluna vulgaris:
The heather plant is very hardy. However, we recommend wrapping the pot with bubble wrap or colorful jute ribbons. Do not let the dwarf shrub dry out during the winter and water it from time to time with lime-free water.
Is heather poisonous?
You won't find common heather on the list of poisonous plants. Rather, the legendary healer Sebastian Kneipp already appreciated the effective ingredients to heal various ailments with natural remedies. Prepared as an infusion, the flowers and leaves alleviate diseases of the urinary and respiratory tract. Applied externally, heather helps against skin irritations of all kinds. We also have Calluna vulgaris to thank for the unique heather honey, since the flowering shrub is a much-loved bee pasture.
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brown leaves
Brown leaves on a heather put the experienced hobby gardener on high alert, because the ornamental tree is obviously suffering from drought stress. As a rule, this damage is accompanied by trickling. Immediately pour plenty of soft water without causing waterlogging. Place Calluna vulgaris in a pot with the root ball in lime-free water until no more air bubbles rise.
Yellow leaves
If the shiny green leaves of evergreen heather turn yellow, this symptom indicates an excess of lime in the soil. In this context, the pH value increases, which blocks the absorption of important nutrients. Change the water supply to collected rainwater or decalcified tap water. In the advanced stage, fertilize briefly with an iron supplement to compensate for the deficiency.