Should you cut back plumbago?
Planting and care both species require regular watering until established but are moderately drought tolerant afterwards. plumbago grows quickly but excess growth can be pruned off at any point throughout the year. Growth damaged by frost should be pruned off in spring. Hardy temp: temperatures in the mid 20s kill it to the ground, but it comes back from the roots. General care & growing tips: plumbago needs full sun for best growth and flowering. Apply a controlled-release fertilizer in early spring to encourage continuous growth and flowering.Under optimal conditions, blue plumbago can live between 5 to 10 years. The care it receives and the environment it grows in significantly impact its longevity, making proper maintenance essential for a thriving plant.Hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9, plumbago does best in full sun. It does tolerate light shade but tends not to bloom as well in shade as it does in full sun.Planting and Care Both species require regular watering until established but are moderately drought tolerant afterwards. Plumbago grows quickly but excess growth can be pruned off at any point throughout the year. Growth damaged by frost should be pruned off in spring.
What to feed plumbago?
Feed your blue plumbago a diet of balanced fertilizer. Follow the label instructions for application methods and allocation amounts. Most blue plumbago plants benefit from bi-weekly fertilizing. This evergreen shrub is a fast grower that blooms on and off all year more in warmer weather. An overwatered Plumbago can start to have leaves that turn yellow, drop off and wilt. The plant can also look dull and unhealthy, with signs of mushy stems. When they are beginning to show these signs, it’s best to adjust your schedule whenever possible.Yellowing leaves and a wilted appearance can be your first clue that your Blue Plumbago is drowning in excess water. If the stems feel more like a squishy marshmallow than a sturdy twig, you’ve got a problem. Mushy roots are a dead giveaway for root rot, and soil that’s more swamp than substrate is a red flag.It sounds like your Plumbago plant is suffering chlorosis which is a yellowing of leaf tissue due to a lack of chlorophyll. Possible causes of chlorosis include poor drainage, damaged roots, compacted roots, high alkalinity, and nutrient deficiencies in the plant.Symptoms include deformed flowers, discoloration, or stunted growth, which can be alarming for any gardener. The causes behind these issues often involve nutritional imbalances, disease, and inadequate light exposure. Identifying and correcting these problems is crucial for the overall vitality of your blue plumbago.If a plant is overwatered, it will likely develop yellow or brown limp, droopy leaves as opposed to dry, crispy leaves (which are a sign of too little water). Wilting leaves combined with wet soil usually mean that root rot has set in and the roots can no longer absorb water.
How do you take care of a plumbago plant?
Hardy Temp: Temperatures in the mid 20s kill it to the ground, but it comes back from the roots. General Care & Growing Tips: Plumbago needs full sun for best growth and flowering. Apply a controlled-release fertilizer in early spring to encourage continuous growth and flowering. For your plumbago, do one of two things–either plant it in the ground and mulch for the winter, or move the pot into the garage after a killing frost for winter protection.Cape plumbago can be grown as an annual, or in a container as a perennial, that is brought indoors and placed in a bright sunny room for the colder months. Water container plants sparingly in the winter. If treating as a perennial, cut back in late winter to encourage new growth for the upcoming season.Plumbago will typically bloom spring through fall but can often bloom through mild winters. In colder winter seasons, plants will drop their leaves or even die down to the ground, but re-emerge from the roots the following spring.Plumbago loves the heat but it doesn’t like it’s leaves or flowers to get wet at all and it doesn’t like to have its toes wet for too long. Even droplets of water on the leaves, left on too long in the hot sun can burn them, so be careful when watering and back off on the schedule.
Does plumbago come back every year?
They bloom non-stop from late spring to the first freeze. In some winters or in protected sites, they may remain evergreen. Other times they will freeze to the ground. Simply cut them back and they’ll re-emerge in early spring. After pruning, you may apply a fertilizer to encourage vigorous new growth. I must admit this takes a strong will. Your plants will likely be blooming when you cut them back and will certainly not look their best immediately after the procedure. In many instances, though, it is well worth the down time.Avoid pruning shrubs in winter that will bloom in spring. Those buds live through the winter, ready to open in spring. If you prune these plants in winter, you’ll be cutting off flower buds.Pruning in autumn and winter could potentially damage the plant, as it can unbalance the root to shoot ratio during a period when it is too cold to regrow. The best time to prune is after flowering.
What is the lifespan of plumbago?
Blue plumbago thrives in 20°C to 25°C with well-drained, sandy soil. Flowers attract pollinators; crucial for reproductive success and genetic diversity. Full growth takes 1 to 2 years, with a lifespan of 5 to 10 years. Under optimal conditions, blue plumbago can live between 5 to 10 years. The care it receives and the environment it grows in significantly impact its longevity, making proper maintenance essential for a thriving plant.