Heather bought from the shop no longer has to dry out. A simple home remedy has helped us

Heather is one of the most popular autumn plants. For some people, it’s even a symbol of this time of year. It’s hardly surprising, as autumn decorations featuring heather can conjure up the perfect atmosphere. Heather looks lovely both in window boxes and as part of all sorts of floral arrangements. One of the biggest annoyances, however, is when it starts to wither at home. Unfortunately, this happens quite often after buying it from a supermarket or a florist. Yet there’s a very simple trick that will prevent your heather from withering.

Why do heather plants dry out in the first place?

The reasons why heather plants dry out can be quite difficult to pinpoint. However, when we bought a few heather plants ourselves, only two out of the eight we bought survived. That was quite a low success rate. In the shop, the plants looked absolutely magnificent, but a few days after repotting them, they began to slowly wither away until, in the end, there wasn’t much left of them. Usually, heather is sourced from abroad and has to travel quite a long way. However, it is often pre-grown in greenhouses at nurseries. It is fertilised and propagated rapidly, which results in minimal hardiness.

Tip: Heathers won’t dry out anymore. Just add ordinary kitchen waste to your window boxes.

The original growing medium must be removed

The key is to ensure that no trace of the original growing medium remains on the plants after repotting. It is precisely this medium that literally stunts the heather’s growth. Ideally, remove the heather from the original growing medium and clear it away by hand. This way, it will no longer suffocate the plant, which will then thrive in the new growing medium – one that is sufficiently moist and contains the necessary nutrients for proper heather growth.

Heather: Photo Radek Stepan

Water will help to separate the growing medium completely

If you remove the plant from the growing medium and soak the roots in water, the soil will gradually wash away. Ideally, the plant should be left in the water for several hours.

Soil acidity is important

Undoubtedly. Heather plants specifically require a distinctly acidic substrate. Peat is the classic choice.

Sources: Author, Meta, tojenapad.sk

Heather: Photo and photogallery Radek Stepan