What've I Done Wrong......??

[SusieG]

My Astilbe plant that I bought from GC two weeks ago, looks a bit sickly to me .....

Although I'm not sure how long it flowers for, maybe it's just had its run ......!
Think that some of the foliage at the bottom, underneath, looks dodgy too, though. (Don't know if it can be seen from photo...)

Thoughts please..!!

[lottie dolly]

to me it looks fine,this silly weather we been getting has affected lots of things though,

[Containergardener]

Looks fine to me too. As LD said, the weather been a bit wobbly lately, it just needs to settle in.
Mines in clay , in a sunny border but shaded by hawthorn .

[Bigmallly]

You're far too fussy lass, it looks fine.

[SusieG]

Aha! Cheers you lot!

I was just expecting (wanting!) it to stay the vibrant purple as when I bought it!!!

I was also a bit bothered, 'cos in my wisdom(???) when I planted Miss Astilbe - instructions said she prefers 'well drained' soil (clay-ey stuff here)........ so, when I dug the hole, I incorporated some sand and some Growmore and watered - then planted her ....
Was wondering if I'd done the right thing by adding the sand. And toyed with the idea of digging her back up, scooping out all the surrounding soil/sand and chucking in some compost ......

But, if you all thinks she looks ok and I'm fussing, I'll leave her be!!

[Ryez]

Well, I did a similar mistake with my dianthus actually, I planted it in a pot with clay soil from the garden (mixed with compost and perlite) and to cut the long story short, it started yellowing and looking miserable! So I pulled it out, cleaned it from the clay soil and planted it back in with just compost, and of course added some fertilizer and feed it. It's really green now and doing great. So yes, to be on the safe side, you could lift it and plant it with compost instead if the clay+sand soil is making it a bit unhappy. I would cause I am fuzzy too!

[Jungle Jane]

They don't flower for long so the flowers will start to fade out like they are,you've done everything alright,a mulch might help it retain moisture if you want to do something.

[SusieG]

They don't flower for long so the flowers will start to fade out like they are,you've done everything alright,a mulch might help it retain moisture if you want to do something.

Thanks again .......... JJ, think I'll go with your advice and mulch, the far easier/quicker solution.... and wasn't sure about the flower colour fading.... Now I know..!!

[rary]

Susie, did you water it when you put it in, and I would suggest that you water it every third day or so, with a fair spread of leaf it could be shedding any rain water away from the roots.

[SusieG]

Yes, rary I puddled water into the planting hole.

However, I hadn't watered it again after that as we'd had lots of rain .....

It makes sense what you said about shedding the rain water, as I gave her a thorough soaking around the base with the hose, earlier. Amazingly, she seems to have perked up no end already ....
So maybe she was a little dehydrated ....
I'll certainly be aware of that now and make sure I give her a good watering every few days.

[SusieG]

Astilbe plant now looks dreadful ..... all the leaves have curled and look to be crispy ....... I'm sure it's a gonner ~ I've been watering it, even gave it a nettle tea feed.
Just don't understand why it has gone like this ........ I'll take a piccie tomorrow .........

[veggiechicken]

I'm just going to make a general comment - not specifically about your astilbe!
Something I've realised! Garden centres often sell mature plants in full bloom. Its what catches our eye and we have to buy it because the plant looks so pretty.
Then we bring them home, tip them out of the pot and replant it in the garden - in different soil and, probably temperatures.
The poor plant has already worked its socks off to produce all those flowers, then we shock it by transplanting it.
Really, they should be left to finish flowering and recover, before we pot them on.
Just my view

[SusieG]

--------yup, good point ......... but no-one would want to buy a half-looking-dead plant though ...... It's all about aesthetics, unfortunately ....

(Clever ~ it had been potted in a lovely lilac coloured pot, too....!)

I'm still cross about this plant, as I think �12.99 for one medium-sized plant really is a lot of cash.....!!!
They got me in a vulnerable state that day ........ live and learn, live and learn ........

[veggiechicken]

I'm glad nobody wants to buy half-dead plants 'cos they're the ones I pick up for pennies and treat them to a little tlc
If you're not happy with yours you could take it back to the GC. Most plants come with some sort of guarantee.

[SusieG]

.........actually, you're right VC ......... Now just need to find receipt from start of July .......

Would I need to dig it up, do you think, and return it .........

I'll take a look on their website ........