for most of us in z5 .. thats winter damage... complicated by the driveway.. and maybe salt damage ... and perhaps... less than best watering

what i cant remember.. is if you can basically cut spirea to the ground.. and it will regenerate.. all new.. i am pretty sure you can ... if confirmed by others.. cut it to a few inches...

have you been giving it haircuts.. to keep it in a pretty little ball ... ???

ken

These are actually new his year, planted in May. So it's not winter damage....any other ideas how to get them to fill out? They have been flowering a little, but they just look to be struggling.

Hard to see from the photo, but it looks dry.....have you been keeping it moist? Do not count on the rain to keep the root ball wet....
Potentillas should be sheared back after flowering to avoid them becoming lanky.....

you are presuming your seller could not have had winter damage???

is sun.;.. hitting the driveway.. and cooking the plant???

describe how you planted it.. and your watering regimen ... and where you got them... bigboxstore????

ken

Thanks for all the responses.... I got 5 potentillas form a reputable nursery in the area (Lurveys in Des Plaines for the locals).

I placed one in a flower bed, and 4 along the driveway. They get decent morning sun, but a large oak shades them mid day. The areas they are in get sun at different times. The one in the bed is on a soaker hose and gets water everyday, the ones to the north of the drive are on a soaker, every other day along with some alpine currants. Then I have 2 more mixed in with coral bells on the south side of the drive that probably get the least sun and water (no way to get them on a soaker, so they get watered with the lawn from an impact sprinkler).

The issue is, they all look alike.... All interior leaves have turned brown and brittle/falling off. They have a few shoots that have grown and flowered, but look unhealthy.

Its my first go with Potentillas, so I have to guess I am missing something. I am scared to prune them since there is so little growth.

Do they need more water? Less? Is there a food I can try to give them a boost? Our spring and summer have been cool and wet. Could it be a disease?

Thanks again! I was hoping for lush pretty potentillas, but they have ended up as an eyesore!

I don't know your climate but do they really need watering every day or every other day? I have no idea about watering since it is not something that is often needed where I garden. But Potentillas are fairly drought resistant and like fast draining soil. I'm wondering if you are over watering. Once established they shouldn't need watering at all unless is hasn't rained for several weeks. Have you dug down to see if the soil is wet or dry 6 - 8 inches down?

Definitely don't feed them.