United Kingdom 
Is it normal for heucheras to triangularize their bases? Over the course of time some of mine have and now look not so good. I think this one is 'Marmalade', and has taken quite a wind battering in the recent gales. It is only looking reasonable in the photo because I have propped it back up. Also, it seems 'all stems' to the detriment of leaf. It was really only for the foliage that I wanted to grow it. Advice much appreciated.
10 May, 2011
Answers
Oh dear. There is no question of my being able to do so. I am too disabled to dig, lift, divide. It seems I may have planted the wrong type of plant into a disabled garden. What will happen if left? Will it get any worse? I have been physically feeling and examining at the base, trying to determine what it is up to. Is it possibly spreading and colonizing, rooting itself ever further outwards? I could ask my elderly dad to dig it for me. But he does terribly tend to put his feet on other plants and squash things.
10 May, 2011
Sorry but could you please explain more, having in the last year planted 10 Heucheras I am not clear about ' triangularize their bases' ? Does it mean they get straggly if not divided?
10 May, 2011
My apologies if it seemed a bit unclear. It is a bit hard to put into words. The plant used to have just one place it grew from in the ground. Now it has spread itself out more and it seems to be rooted in three seperate places, each of which it is growing bunches of leaves from. These each seem almost like new individual plants, and yet they all appear united and joined together centrally also. Does that help or make things worse? Really tricky one without being able to show it to you.
10 May, 2011
They do make separate clumps, they also push themselves up and out of the ground and give you that stalky look.
I'd take Bamboo's advice and get it lifted and divided so it can get its vigour back and you can make new plants too maybe.
They're easy plants to lift, by the way.
10 May, 2011
Thanks Jonathan I understand now and will know how to treat mine.
10 May, 2011
Mine has grown like that too. Now I know what to do with it!
10 May, 2011
... In the early autumn (dividing).
10 May, 2011
I do it anytime !
10 May, 2011
I divided mine 4 weeks ago and now have 6 healthy plants.
10 May, 2011
It might be worthwhile chopping one of the clumps to the ground, and giving it a mild feed, to see if it will sprout out from underground.
11 May, 2011
I've tried that but they sprout from the top of the crown again.
As these plants send out little side offspring it's very easy to just pull them apart and plant them up too.
11 May, 2011
As soon as I feel able I will go and give one a pull.
11 May, 2011
Yes, this is what they do - should be divided in early autumn every 2 or 3 years, when you can get rid of a lot of that 'all stem' look. Add some well rotted compost to the soil before replanting the sections.
10 May, 2011