I have a one or two year old echinacea plant with one flower bud about to open, but absolutely no leaf growth at the bottom of the plant. It is planted in full sun. What is the problem, and how can I stimulate the plant to develop a lush growth of leaves, creating a full, sturdy, more prolific plant? I will deadhead after the flower fades. Does this plant need fertilizer, or organic material - I thought that echinaceas liked dry, not so rich soil!
need more specific info for location rather than just u.s.a. also, pics of the plant. it could be there's some issue going on - bugs or bacterial. it could just be that the plant is young, too. did you grow from seed or buy it already grown? they can be pretty scraggly-looking after transplanting and during the period of time they are getting situated.
Joclyn, I live in the Philadelphia, Pa. area which is zone 5. I bought the plant in a quart size container this year. No, it has no disease or bug infestation. It did have more leaves when I bought it, (not many), but they just shriveled &/or were eaten by the groundhog that visits my garden daily. All that is left is a 10" stem with one bud on the terminal growth of the stem. I just wonder if and when I will see some growth at the base.
actually, the philly area is zone 6 - with much of it classed as 6b...i'm in the same area :) i kind of thought you'd just planted it this year...although they are extremely drought tolerant that's only AFTER they're established. i've never had good growth after transplanting them and that applies to when i got the first six bareroot plants as well as any time since that i've divided them to spread them out. okay. did you plant it before we had all that rain in june? and, if so, how long was it in the ground before all that rainy/overcast weather started?? now that it's been drying out and we've been having solid sunny days, how frequently are you watering it? just from experience and knowing how the weather has been in this area, it sounds like it's just struggling a bit to get established... when a plant is doing that, it focuses more effort on roots (rather than on leaves and/or blooms), so, maintaining proper water levels is important during the first couple months. even with all that rain we had, and the fact that this plant is drought hardy, it's still crucial to give it extra watering while it's getting it's feet set. under the circumstances, going from so wet to so dry, it makes sense the plant is struggling right now. i'd just make sure to keep it watered - every other day or two should be fine and you won't need to water for a couple days if we get a good soaking rain. it should do just fine and you'll be rewarded next year with good healthy growth and maybe even some more growth and/or reblooming if you deadhead this bloom once it's done. and, if for some reason, it doesn't come back, you can get a new plant if it's got a 1 year warranty (which both lowe's and home depot offer). also, if it doesn't come back, i have plenty and would be willing to split some out for you next spring.
are you sure it was a groundhog eating it??? i have groundhogs that live in the next yard and they've never bothered the echinacea... regardless of what is eating it, since it is being eaten i'd put some chicken wire, or even a tomato cage, around it so they can't get to it and it can get some growth back.
Joclyn, I am always trying to expand my echinacea plants.. I never could have too many!! I planted this "baby" either last year or this year before the rain, and have not been watering it recently, thinking that they are so tolerant of dry conditions. After what you have said, I will water it more until it becomes established. As far as groundhogs are concerned, I have been in a battle with them for many years now. I thought that they would not like the rough leaves of the echinacea, but was I wrong!! They also eat my Rudbeckias. I have a wooded area behind my garden, which is already fenced in, but does absolutely no good, because they come in under it. I have tried EVERY remedy known to mankind, including predator's urine, garlic and cayenne sprays, human hair and urine, Irish Spring soap, ultra sonics, moth balls, making a spray from boiling liver and letting it sit at room temperature to spoil, and even a "have a heart trap!! (which I will never do again, because it was too sad.... the mom was in the cage trying to dig out, and the baby was outside the cage crying) I will do nothing to hurt the animals! I HAVE enclosed many of my plants in individual fences... TO NO AVAIL!! THEY STAND UP AT THE FENCE AND EAT, EAT, EAT!! So, what else can I do? Thank you for your interest and for your input.
wow, i'm really surprised about the hh's!! not sure if they are still under the neighbors shed...in prior years, they had quite a few babies and i never saw any damage to any of my plants...they did bust through the bottom of the picket fence though...that was the one year that i did tomato (i don't plant them every year) and they did eat the tom's. didn't bother any of the various plants/bushes back there though!! well, if they're that hungry that they're eating your plants, maybe put out some tasty vegy's - somewhere AWAY from where your plants are located?? my neighbor, before he passed away, always put out his scraps for them - maybe that's why they never went for any of my plants. my coneflowers are purple...i have seeds for white - haven't started them yet.
Joclyn, Must tell you that I DO put out tasty veggies!! I have a great compost pile that is very accessible to the visitors. And, I know that they help themselves, because I see digging and missing veggies every morning when I check it.
i just did a search...was curious... deer like echinacea - they're probably the culprit rather than the ground hogs. they may also be eating some of the vegy's on the compost pile as well.
Thank you for your deer information. But, I must tell you that first of all, we have a tall fence that cannot be jumped over by deer since the fence is above a sheer "drop" down to a wooded area behind our property. Our property is completely fenced in. Secondly, I have witnessed the groundhogs eating the echinaceas and rudbeckias!!! I see it on almost a daily basis. They ARE EATING AND LOVING MY ECHINACEAS!!!
well, if you've actually seen them munching, then there's nothing else to say :) other than leaving some in an area close to where their burrow is, i don't know what to tell you over fencing them in...which wouldn't be too asthetically pleasing...
There may be one other issue here, besides the hungry critters. From my personal observation over the years, it seems to me that echinaceas have a distinctive annual growth pattern: once they reach the stage of sending up flower shoots, they produce few or no new basal leaves. All the plants' energy at that point seems to be directed toward flowering, seed production, and storing up food in the root system for next year. And it sounds like your plant has reached that stage. Since it's still early in the season, you might be able to stimulate new foliage growth by giving it a shot of some high-nitrogen fertilizer (like fish emulsion). My experience in Maine might be different than yours in Pennsylvania, of course.
bjames, you have my sympathy, and my thanks for giving me a giant laugh! Your description of how your groundhog cohabitants stand at the fence and "EAT, EAT, EAT!!!" gives me a chuckle every time I read it. Your yard is a veritable Hometown Buffet for hogs! And I thought I had it bad with the (expletives deleted) squirrels eating ALL my tulips and digging up everything else. The passage about the Hav-A-Hart trap is eloquent and a real tearjerker. Have a heart, indeed! I have had echinacea for years. Started out by sowing wildflower seeds my mom gave me, probably 20 years ago now. (Yikes!) At first I had an equal # of ech. and black-eyed susans...gradually, each year I had fewer and fewer rudbeckia...??? and now the bed is 100% ech. Go figure! some years they have been plagued with that black-spot stuff they are wont to get---this year, though, they look great! ---I'd say be patient with yours. Mine took a few years to really get going, so if your growing conditions are good, no diseases crop up, everything will be OK...if your g-hogs will only relocate!!! Hey, if you can...give us a photo of your hogs in action!