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- Q.I Planted A Butterfly Bush And The Next Day It Started Wilting. I’ve Watered It Every Day. Now The Bottom Leaves Are Turning Yell - ow. Is it in shock? Too much water? Not enough water? I have lots of clay in the ground but ...
- Q.I Want To Move A Butterfly Bush - I want to move a butterfly bush because it’s encroaching on other plants.
- Q.What Are The Okra Like Growth On My Butterfly Bushes - I live at 7500 ft in CO. My butterfly bushes have developed growths that resemble okra in very late August ...
- Q.Winterizing My Butterfly Tree - Will burlaping my butterfly bush that is planted outside help it from dying during the winter? What else aside from ...
- Q.What Is The Best Way To Winter Butterfly Bushes That Are In Pots? - I live on the northern edge of zone 5.
- Q.Butterfly And Hummingbird Garden - My garden will be 12 ft x 8ft can you make any suggestions on plants and bushes
- Q.Should I Trim/prune My Fountain Butterfly Bush? - It's about 12' tall in a nicely spray-like display. Small green leave are sprouting up the lengths of the stems.
Asked by
Anonymous on
August 27, 2021Q.I Planted A Butterfly Bush And The Next Day It Started Wilting. I’ve Watered It Every Day. Now The Bottom Leaves Are Turning Yell
ow. Is it in shock? Too much water? Not enough water? I have lots of clay in the ground but I dug a huge hole and filled it with some compost, peat moss and garden soil.
- Answered by
luis_pr on
August 27, 2021A.Transplant shock most likely unless you or someone nearby has used a few chemicals that the plant did not like. Since it has a small root system, is now getting more sunlight than it probably received at the garden center and temperatures in Fayetteville, AR are in the upper 90s, all these items should make the plant be heat stressed.
You did not say how much water your are using or how deep you are watering. When you first plant a butterfly bush, water it in the morning at least once a week when the soil feels dry and apply the water slowly and deeply to help the plant establish deep roots. After it has established, water deeply if the top few inches feel dry and the temperature reaches or exceeds 85°F. Account for local rains when watering so you do not over-water. Once established, it should be somewhat drought resistant (not immune). Expect some wilting if windy and the temperatures are near 100°F. Reduce watering from "summer" watering levels once temperatures recede and stay below 85°F.
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- Asked by
Anonymous on
August 29, 2021Q.I Want To Move A Butterfly Bush
I want to move a butterfly bush because it’s encroaching on other plants.
- Answered by
luis_pr on
August 30, 2021A.The best time may be after the plants have all gone dormant and the leaves have dried out as it is possible that the roots of all the plants have comingled/intertwined. Be careful when extracting the bush so as not to damage the other plants' roots. Alternatively, you can transplant in the spring before there is sign of leaf out or new growth from the base of all these plants.
Was this answer useful?00 - Asked by
Anonymous on
September 6, 2021Q.What Are The Okra Like Growth On My Butterfly Bushes
I live at 7500 ft in CO. My butterfly bushes have developed growths that resemble okra in very late August and now early Sept. do they go to seed or bolt. What, if anything, should I do?
Answered by
BushDoctor on
September 20, 2021
Certified ExpertA.Those are seed pods! If you want the plant to reproduce, then leave them. If you want to force energy back into the plant, you may cut them off.
This article will help you to care for the plant:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/butterfly-bush-care.htm
Was this answer useful?00- Asked by
Anonymous on
October 17, 2021Q.Winterizing My Butterfly Tree
Will burlaping my butterfly bush that is planted outside help it from dying during the winter? What else aside from bringing it in can I do?
- Answered by
GKH_Susan on
October 21, 2021
Certified ExpertA.Butterfly bushes are generally hardy to zone 5 or 6, so unless yours is in a container, it should do fine outside. I would mulch it well, though. If you expect extreme temperatures, you could cover it.
In late winter, or early spring, cut it down to 6 or 8 inches. They grow fast and bloom on new wood, so there is no reason to keep the old growth. (If your bush is in a container I would bring it inside to an unheated garage or basement.) I have found most of the butterfly bushes I've owned were short lived. They came back only two or three years. However, I had one that returned more than 10 years, so you never know.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/butterfly-bush-care.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/overwinter-a-butterfly-bush.htm
Was this answer useful?00 - Asked by
Anonymous on
November 18, 2021Q.What Is The Best Way To Winter Butterfly Bushes That Are In Pots?
I live on the northern edge of zone 5.
- Answered by
GKH_Susan on
November 18, 2021
Certified ExpertA.They will fare best if brought inside to a location that stays around 40 degrees F, such as a basement. Water lightly about once a month. Although they are generally hardy to USDA zones 5 or 6, the fact that they are in pots will leave them vulnerable to freezing.
If they are in small containers, you can bury them in the ground, pots and all, up to the top of the container.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/butterfly-bush-care.htm
Was this answer useful?00 - Asked by
b man on
December 29, 2021
08002Q.Butterfly And Hummingbird Garden
My garden will be 12 ft x 8ft can you make any suggestions on plants and bushes
- Answered by
GKH_Susan on
December 29, 2021
Certified ExpertA.You definitely need a couple of butterfly bushes. They also like tropical milkweed, orange butterfly weed (asclepias tuberosa), pentas, aster, tithonia, zinnia, salvia, agastache, petunia, coral vine, mums, hibiscus, coneflower, rose of Sharon, parsley and fennel, and marigolds.
Here is more:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/attracting-butterflies.htmhttps://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/attracting-monarch-butterflies.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/attracting-hummingbirds.htm
Was this answer useful?00 - Answered by
BushDoctor on
December 29, 2021
Certified ExpertA.Sure! Here are some articles that will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/attracting-butterflies.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/page/8
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/attracting-hummingbirds.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/vines/trumpet-vine/hummingbirds-and-trumpet-vines.htm
Was this answer useful?00 - Asked by
bcmomof3 on
March 19, 2022
19341 zone 6Q.Should I Trim/prune My Fountain Butterfly Bush?
It's about 12' tall in a nicely spray-like display. Small green leave are sprouting up the lengths of the stems.
- Answered by
GKH_Susan on
March 20, 2022
Certified ExpertA.Yes. Typically butterfly bushes are pruned to about 6 inches from the ground each year. They bloom on new growth so there is no need to keep last year's stems.
https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/2002/2-22-2002/butterflybushes.html
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/butterfly-bush-care.htmWas this answer useful?00
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