Fertilizing Hepatica

[partisangardener]

2 inches dead leaf finely shredded on top and some netting against the wind would help a lot.  They grow through it
Remove the netting after the leafs die back.

[partisangardener]

If you have no dry leafs left, shredded straw might do the job too. Never  hay because of mold risk.
I find always heaps of dry leaf in recesses behind trees or rocks  in deciduous forests. Which are maybe not near by.

[Guff]

Hepatica seedlings that I was taking pictures of, all have been killed by the tops being popped off.
Looks like all the seedlings in that same spot are dead as well.

Will start fertilizing new seedlings in the Spring, and try again.

[Leena]

I have been following your Hepatica growing, and I'm sorry to read that they have died. Frost in the ground is very hard on plants, it can be the same here.

[Guff]

Probably going to place gravel down in the Fall with the new seedlings that show. Hopefully some do, we had hardly no snow this year, until this week(6 inches or so) so the ground upheaval and ice crystals was bad. I had 5+ year old coum flowers and leaves tops popped off as well.

I'm going to try germinating seeds that I collect this year, indoors and grow through the Winter and see what happens. Will sow late Summer in fridge.

[Guff]

Fertilizing payed off. Plant on the left had 8 or 9 flowers last Spring, looks to be around 25+ buds/flowers this year. Will see if I can get some pictures when more buds are open. The plant in the center might be a light pink color.

[Guff]

38 flowers/buds from 8 or 9 last year.




Didn't count flowers/buds, last Spring each plant had 4 or 5 flowers

[Guff]

A couple seedlings in the group did survived the ground ice upheaval. Too bad I couldn't take pictures of how they grew. They must have grown from the bud that was forming. Now, I can start fertilizing. Starting off with one tablespoon Bat Guano, two gallons water. Not going to do this every couple days like the chart, will once a week.





closeup

[Guff]

Seven second Spring seedlings(1 year old) survived the ground ice upheaval. So far no issues with 1 tablespoon each of Bat Guano and Bioag Ful-Power in two gallons of water. Next watering, going to up the Bat Guano to 1 1/2 tablespoon.

[Gabriela]

Seven second Spring seedlings(1 year old) survived the ground ice upheaval. So far no issues with 1 tablespoon each of Bat Guano and Bioag Ful-Power in two gallons of water. Next watering, going to up the Bat Guano to 1 1/2 tablespoon.

I don't want to temper your enthusiasm Guff but for me it seems a bit too much fertilizing for in ground grown Hepatica plants.
In most cases there are enough nutrients in a regular garden soil, especially for very young plants. I see the need of more fertilizing for pot grown Hepaticas.
Of course it is your choice. I don't fertilize my plants growing in the ground at all.

[Guff]

Gabriela, I"m experimenting.... I want to see how fast I can get from seed to flower. As far as flowering plants, In my opinion fertilizing does makes a difference. I went form 8 or 9 flowers to 38. The past 4-5 years before fertilizing I had around that same each year.

Don't have time to mess with the metal wire today. My big plant hasn't leaved out, but there is a big difference with the amount of leaves from last year to now.

Last September





Today

[Guff]

Making some progress, so far looking good. Two or three more feedings with the Bat Guano, then switching over to the Roots HPK.

Photoshopped tape to better show size differences

5/11/2023


5/17/2023


5/11/2023


5/17/2023

[Guff]

Gave last feeding of Bat Guano Tuesday 5/23. Next Tuesday, start with the Roots HPK. Not sure if they will continue to grow bigger through the Summer, will update if they do.

[kris]

I fertilise my Hepaticas once in a while with slow release or weak solution with high middle (phosphorus)number and I get lots an lots of flowers. In spring the Hepaticas will be covered with hundreds of flowers.

[Guff]

Think I'm going to start fertilizing with the Roots HPK, even though the chart says mid September. Took a look today and a growth point bud is growing. Amazing how fast it formed.

This picture was taken on July 27, 2023




Today August 12, 2023