growing potentilla

9 years ago

any hints on the likes/dislikes of potentilla? I planted some last fall & they're doing great. planted one this spring & it immediately started to die. same bed & soil conditions. it was not barerooted when transplanted. it looks like there are some new leaves trying to grow so it might be coming back. also-what's the best way to fertilize shrubs & trees/

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Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
NEVER fert a stressed plant ...

how about a pic????

w/o such.. sounds like transplant shock.. all it needs is proper watering ... see link about such ..

i had Ps at the old house... for a decade ... never once did i fert them ... and you couldnt kill these things with a 4 wheel drive truck ... rolling right over them .... dont overthink them ...

they are bulletproof shrubs.. not children ...

good luck

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link
duluthinbloomz4
9 years ago
I'm not a big believer in fertilizing everything and anything at the drop of a hat. My potentillas are "Pink Beautys"; in the ground for 6 years or so and never fertilized. Others follow a regular regimen for all their plants, shrubs, and trees which probably serves to make the fertilizer companies very happy.

If your slower plant is showing signs of leafing out, let it do it's thing on its own. Like ken says, they're bulletproof shrubs and I've read over fertilizing potentilla fruticosa can result in diminished blooming.

Even though spring started late here, everything has caught up and then some - things are huge what with regular rains etc. No additional help from me.
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rober49
Original Author
9 years ago
the fertilizer question was for trees & shrubs in general.
the smaller blooming shrubs were planted last fall. the photo is not great ( it's overcast ) but you can make out the specks of green that appear to be new growth so maybe it was just shocked but I'm not sure why that would be. I dug the proper size hole & planted the shrub in a good mix of compost & topsoil. the roots were never exposed. a local nurseryman told me these need good drainage & a chance to dry out so I've been watering lightly since the brown out occurred. I saw these in a west Virginia rest area & liked them because they bloom all summer & the bees like them.
{{gwi:269079}}
duluthinbloomz4
9 years ago
Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong... ken?... but aren't the flower buds on potentilla brown, dry and dead looking at first flush? Seems like mine were and it fooled me initially.

That one looks like a survivor.
rober49
Original Author
9 years ago
the bush in the top photo looked just like the bushes in the bottom photo when I planted it.
duluthinbloomz4
9 years ago
Okay, last idea - scratch a branch lightly with your thumbnail. Beneath the outer bark is the cambium layer which is green in a living branch. If you see green, give the thing some time to fill in.