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Columbine foliage looking a little ratty

Posted by thisismelissa z4a-S Twin Cities MN (My Page) on
Fri, Jun 8, 12 at 21:30

So, I do have to admit that I'm a bit of a newbie to sun gardening. Shade I have down pat, but sun is still all so "relative".

I planted Columbine 'Winky Blue and White' in my sun garden. The spot I chose is south facing and near by asphalt driveway.

They finished blooming about 2 weeks ago and the foliage is starting to turn burgundy. Since this is my first full year with them here, I'm not sure what to expect.

Are they getting too much sun? too little water?

I'm doing some bed modification and could put them on the other side of the bed where they'd get direct sun only from 6am-10am and another shot of sun around 3-4pm. Would this be a better spot for them? Should I wait till fall to move them?

Thanks all!


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Columbine foliage looking a little ratty

If you just planted this spring, they probably haven't really rooted and the original root ball is still in tact for easy lifting.


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RE: Columbine foliage looking a little ratty

The burgundy foliage sounds like a nutrient problem (too much or too little of something) or a problem processing nutrients due to high heat. Have you done any fertilizing? Is it a newly created flower bed?

Columbine aren't usually put in the sun but they also have a reputation for not transplanting well. Individual plants are short-lived but one can usually get a patch going through seedlings. If it's flowering you may want to try seeding a new patch in a more appropriate (more shady) spot with the seeds it makes or you could try moving your plant.


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RE: Columbine foliage looking a little ratty

I've transplanted dozens of columbine and some will get that burgandy foliage after blooming. Just a matter of getting established. This far north full sun is not a problem.

tj


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RE: Columbine foliage looking a little ratty

mine are biennial... arent they???

and if you bought a plant that flowered immediately.. you let it drop its seed.. commit the leaf shape to memory.. and wait for the seedlings in fall ... or next spring ...

one thing for sure.. its NOT a long lived perennial ...

i have the red species ... state flower of CO .. and what i call the popsickle purple one ...

ken


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RE: Columbine foliage looking a little ratty

I have only the wild Aquilegia Canadensis and they crop up everywhere - full sun, shade, cracks in the sidewalk. Columbine produce a high volume of seed, so don't cut off your spent blooms. You can let the plants scatter their seeds naturally or collect some and scatter them where you want them. Even these wild ones get a bit bronzy after blooming. You might even see leaf miner patterns on the leaves - rarely, if ever, a real problem.

I've never had a transplant survive - even here in the north - so I rely on self seeding. I think you might be experiencing the natural cycle of the columbine rather than anything else; unless the "modern" hybrids are considerably different.


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RE: Columbine foliage looking a little ratty

Burgundy foliage usually indicates a lack of phosphorus. However, I don't grow columbine, and tsuga says they do that after blooming. You might try giving them some fert with a higher middle number. Phosphorus helps with root development, and if they're new, they'd probably benefit from that anyway.

Deanna


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