Hi cadence! Hope things are well! Like most flowering perennials, the astilbes have an initial bloom and then the bloom spike turns brown and you can snip it off (dead head) if you want. If you just got them, you probably got some that were near the end of their normal bloom cycle in your area and for that type. There are some types that will try to rebloom in the fall but I expect most will just maintain the foliage until frost. They were blooming around here starting in May/June and a few are still out depending on the type and how much sun they get where they are situated. Since yours are potted, I would give them a little fertilizer next month and let them grow through the rest of the season.

Hi Jenny,
It's been a long time since we conversed. I'm doing well, thank you. It's great to see you are still here. I've noticed the forum is a little quieter than it use to be. Thank you for your help with the astilbe. I have 4 containers with astilbe. I deadheaded the three with the brown blooms. The foilage is quite nice and I planted some begonias around them, since they all like the shade. Thanks very much for helping me with this.

On another note...I have another plant that looks like it has mildew. I'm not sure what kind of plant it is but I can't look after it if I don't know what it is. I've just uploaded some pics. If it's mildew, should I throw it away?
Cadence