Xela's Garden

Coral Flower [Heuchera][V]

Genus: Heuchera.

Species: Heuchera micrantha.

Planted ? Vistabile lobby border
Bought ? at ? for ?

Genus: Heuchera.
Species: Heuchera micrantha/ Rachel?.

well drained soil
sun or light shade

In The Garden:
Heucheras are excellent for formal bedding schemes, front of border or random planting amongst other perenniels. The vast palete of colours will give many opportunities to create contrasting displays with other plants.
Heucheras prefer well drained soil supplemented with organic matter, an ideal pH is in the range 5.8 to 6.3. If you soil is heavy or clay, large particle grit and organic matter should be added or go above the clay layer with a raised bed of imported soil.

In Containers:
Heucheras are I think at their best in containers either on their own or mixed with contrasting plants. The container must have adequate drainage, ensure the drainage hole is large enough and cover with crocks or large gravel. We avoid using thin metal containers as they bake the roots in summer and become a block of ice in winter! Try to use Granite, Stone, Wood or Terracotta pots and planters.
We use the following soil mix in our containers 50% Sandy loam, 20% Peat, 20% Composted bark & 10% Large grain perlite. At planting time we also incorporate a granular slow release ferilizer usually Osmocote which lasts 4-5months. Heucheras are not heavy feeders and we always use less than the recommended measures, later feeding is by liquid feed again on the weak side.

Sun or Shade:
The majority of heucheras will grow well with some shade, the darker leaved varieties will tollerate full sun. We have indicated against each variety its preferred aspect.

Pests and Diseases:
Heucheras are in the main resistant to pests and diseases, whilst slugs and snails hide beneath the leaves they do little damage. It is said that rabbits and deer are not too partial to a heuchera lunch!!

The pest they are susceptible to is the Vine Weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus

Both the 1cm-long black adults and 1cm-long plump, white, legless, brown-headed larvae are a problem. The latter hide in the soil, and feed on roots (severing them) and bore into tubers from autumn to spring. Container plants are most at risk. The adults have six legs and a pair of antennae, moving in the open at night, chewing the edges of leaves. This isn't itself a problem, but the fact that each adult is a female, laying almost 1,000 eggs in summer, is alarming.

Control by the following means.....
Organic:
Go out at night with a torch and pick off the adults. To kill the larvae, in August/early September treat the compost with the predatory nematode Heterorhahditis megidis, which is sold by mail order.

Chemical:
Few insecticides are very effective, but compost with the chemical imidacloprid controls the larvae for up to a year. Other formulations provide just short-term protection.
[Source: http://www.heucheras.co.uk/Care-of-your-heucheras ]

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