The Sun Bride is very popular with gardeners because of its rich colors and good reproduction. We provide care tips for he althy growth of the perennial.
The sun bride (Helenium) is a summer perennial that inspires many gardeners in this country year after year. Not only because it can appear like a sea of flames with its red-orange, copper-colored or yellow blaze of colour, but also because of its rapid growth and rapid multiplication, which soon covers large areas of the garden. The sun-worshipper among garden flowers often blooms until October, so gardeners can enjoy the splendor for a long time - and this year after year, as the plant survives winter without any problems and announces itself blooming again quickly next year. However, if you expect so much from the summer perennial, you should also take good care of it. Although the plant is hardly demanding, proper care will help ensure magnificent blooms in the summer. Otherwise it can happen that these appear rather stunted and the growth is anything but appealing.Sun Bride: small profile
The sun bride, which is also referred to as a sun worshiper by many enthusiasts, is characterized on the one hand by very good growth. This is usually significantly more than 50cm high, a perennial often has a diameter of about 50cm. This doesn't stay that way for long, however, as the sunbride can reproduce quickly on its own if the conditions are right. The flowers resemble large daisies, and are usually red, orange, yellow, or even copper in color. Bicolored flowers also occur in many subspecies of the perennial. The big plus of the sun bride is that it attracts large numbers of insects such as butterflies and bees - and can therefore also help to preserve the bees. At the same time, the sun bride is very easy to care for, it survives frost and sub-zero temperatures well, but needs good protection from the wind in order not to buckle. But how exactly is the sun bride groomed so that all her qualities are revealed?
Tip 1 - watering the sun bride
The warmer it gets, the wetter the soil surrounding the sun bride should be kept. She likes it sufficiently moist but not too wet to cause waterloggingcan be prevented. If you do not want to constantly check moisture, you can spread mulch around the plant, which protects the soil and thus the roots of the plant from drying out. If you want to prevent waterlogging, you should always check before watering whether the soil is still too moist - and adjust the watering process accordingly.
Otherwise it is quite sufficient to water the plant at regular intervals and to proceed fairly moderately. When watering, it makes more sense for the plant if you add the water in the morning or alternatively in the evening when the sun has already set. If you hit the flowers or leaves when watering, they could be burned in places by the magnifying effect of the water droplets on the sun's rays.
Tip 2 - Fertilize sun bride
If one thing is for sure, it's that sun perennials, like the sun bride, not only need moisture, they also need adequate nutrients. After planting, an addition of fertilizer or compost is desirable, and the plant can also be fertilized every spring to encourage flowering and greening. Except in spring, fertilizer is only moderately needed by the plant. A monthly addition of compost or some fertilizer is therefore completely sufficient until autumn to support and strengthen the plant when it blooms in summer.
In winter, the plant can of course do without any fertilizer. By the way, you don't have to buy expensive fertilizer for the sun bride: If you have a little compost at home, you can easily mix it into the soil by loosening it up a bit first.
Tip 3 - Correct Cut
Correct pruning is also part of the scope of care for a Helenium summer shrub. In this respect, the needs of the plant are anything but demanding: it only has to be cut because of the rapid growth, or to support the plant in its stability. If there is a lack of space because of the rapid growth, it can help to trim the leaves and plants. If the flowers have withered, they should also be cut off - as well as leaves that have already withered. If you want to increase the stability of the plant in the wind, it can be shortened on its shoots. This does not harm the plant and strengthens it well.
However, when the first flower buds appear, stop removing the tip. To help the plant get through the winter with ease, a little more radical pruning close to the ground can help. The plant also generally tolerates this very well, so that there is no dying or miserablegrowth next spring.
Tip 4 - wintering the sun bride
Overwintering requires very little work for the gardener and plant lover, as it can basically overwinter on its own without suffering any damage. The plant and sun worshiper survives frost just as well as icy temperatures and heavy snowfall. However, it does not hurt to dare a radical cut before the start of winter and to cover the sun bride with fleece, jute or even mulch. This protects the roots of the perennial a little better in the ground and the plant can unfold more easily in spring.
It is only important to use some fertilizer at the beginning of spring after the winter, which supports the plant in its growth. Slightly loosening the soil and enriching it with compost also helps the plant to wake up from its hibernation. Incidentally, the foliage of the Sunbride dies before winter, so when winter arrives it should be removed if possible or placed as a protection against frost.