While sedum is an easy to grow, beautiful succulent, some varieties, like 'Autumn Joy', occasionally grow so tall that they split and fall right over. This often happens when the plants are in too much shade or high fertility soils. One listener called into Homegrown (Martha Stewart Living Radio Sirius 112) wondering how she could prevent such a mess of fallen sedums in her garden. Margaret had three suggestions:
1. Replace 'Autumn Joy' with the slightly more dwarf 'Autumn Fire.' Because the latter variety doesn't grow as tall, splitting is unlikely.
2. Pinch back the sedum in the spring, when it reaches about eight inches. By using your fingernails to cut back the stem, just above a leaf node, you prevent the plant from growing overly-tall in the late season.
3. Try using a peony ring to support leggy sedum.
Margaret's further advice? Don't fertilize sedum...they rarely need the extra growth incentive.
About Homegrown
Every week on "Homegrown," Andrew Beckman and Tony Bielaczyc talk about their passion for plants, check in with gardeners around the country, and answer your questions about what's growing on Sirius satellite radio. Listen to "Homegrown" live every Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET (on Morning Living) and Thursday at 1 p.m. ET (on Living Today).
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September 12, 2007
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