As the days get shorter, the impressions of autumn find their way into the garden. Here, for example, the common heather provides an atmospheric splash of color.
The genus name means "cleaning" in German. It can therefore be assumed that the branches of the common heather were used to make brooms in the past. Today, on the other hand, the popular autumn plant is mainly found in flower boxes and planters. There they enchant every viewer with their small bell-shaped flowers in white, pink or purple. Depending on the variety, the flowering heather even accompanies us through the winter.
Origin
The common heather (Calluna vulgaris) belongs to the heather family. The natural range covers all of Europe. However, common heather mainly grows in central and northern Europe. The Lüneburg Heath is probably the most famous heath landscape in our latitudes. The distribution area even extends to western Siberia. The common heather is also native to Switzerland and grows in the Alps up to 2,700 meters above sea level.
Find the right location
Planting is possible as a ground cover on its own or in a group with other autumn plants. But plantings in the rock garden and in tubs and troughs also enhance the garden image. The only important thing here is that you choose the right location and also the right planting neighbors.
In principle, the common heather feels most comfortable in a sunny to light location. Welcome planting neighbors of the common heather are also:
- Broom
- juniper
- Sunberries
- Ornamental Grasses
- Rhododendron
Selecting the ideal substrate
The common heather prefers acidic soil. The substrate should also be well drained and poor in nutrients. For example, lime is not tolerated by common heather. The plants also do not do well in heavy loamy soil.
The natural occurrence of common heather can be found in sparse forests, dunes or moors. A heather garden is therefore the perfect location for the common heather.
Planting common heather - step by step instructions
The common heather goes on sale in late summer. can be plantedthen into the fall. The best way to do this is as follows:
- Select Location
- Loosen the soil well and remove weeds, stones and roots
- Dig the planting hole (15 to 18 centimeters deep and wide)
- Place heather in a bucket of water until no more bubbles appear
- Create drainage with sand and gravel in the planting hole
- Fill the planting hole halfway with rhododendron soil
- Potting and planting heather
- Fill the planting hole with a mixture of excavation and potting soil
- Press root ball well
- Water heather with two to three liters of stale tap or rain water
Tip:
For extensive planting with common heather, at least three specimens should be planted together. You get a typical heather bed by planting around ten plants per square meter.
How to care for common heather
❍ Water heather:
How often and how much has to be watered depends heavily on the condition of the soil and the prevailing weather conditions. While sufficient watering is required when planting, watering of well-rooted plants is only necessary when there is extreme drought.
It is best to water the common heather whenever the top layer of soil feels dry. So that the common heather does not dry out, it should also be watered sporadically in winter.
❍ Fertilize common heather:
Rhododendron soil is recommended for planting. This gives the plants all the nutrients they need for the first year. Fertilization should also be done with rhododendron fertilizer. This can be done in two runs in April and July of the following year.
Important:
After fertilizing you should keep the soil moist. The substrate must not dry out for one to two weeks.
❍ Cut heather:
So that the small shrub develops well and blooms profusely, we recommend pruning the heather shrubs annually in spring. Then you should shorten the heather by about half. However, do not cut deep into the old wood. The plants would then sprout only sparsely.
How to properly overwinter heather
The common heather is hardy and does not need any special protection in the bed or in the box and tub. However, to protect the heather from frost, you can cover the plants with brushwood.
Show up in springDamage to the plants is usually not the result of temperatures that are too low, but the plants have simply dried up. Therefore, you should not forget about watering even in winter. Water the common heather on frost-free days and during periods of prolonged drought.
Recognize diseases and pests on common heather
The robust plants are hardly attacked by pests or diseases. However, unfavorable weather conditions can damage weakened plants. If the common heather is surrounded by a grey-brown mushroom lawn, the plants are affected by gray mould. Affected plants should be cut back and treated with a fungicide.
Important:
The cut off parts of the plant must not be put on the compost as the fungus can spread further there. Dispose of the section with household waste or incinerate the plant parts.