Caring for your Liatris is one of the most important aspects of ensuring that they reach their full potential when they mature. Caring for perennial plants can sometimes be a significant balancing act.
You need to provide all of the appropriate maintenance and ensure that all of the steps are followed so that your ‘blazing stars’ eventually bloom in the future. Without the appropriate care, you will likely start to notice challenges and difficulties as a result.
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How to Care for Liatris
You need to make sure that they are planted in the right type of soil while also ensuring they receive the right amount of sunlight per day. This is generally considered to be at least six hours of full sun, while partial shade may also be acceptable. It’s important to water your Liatris every week or so until it has had time to establish itself.
Once established, you might be surprised to hear that Liatris doesn’t need very much care. They are very low maintenance once they are established and are known for tolerating dry conditions. Liatris plants may even be able to tolerate droughts over reasonable amounts of time. Making smart decisions is one of the most important things that you can do for your new Liatris perennial plants.
Liatris Standard Maintenance
It’s a good idea to plant your Liatris seeds right before the winter season. You could start planting them right before autumn comes to an end. This is an ideal time to plant your seeds because it will allow them to germinate during the winter months when the temperatures are much cooler. It can take several weeks in winter temperatures before they germinate.
See our article for Liatris From Seeds here.
It is now time to discuss the amount of water that you may need to supply to your Liatris once it has been established. Liatris is capable of surviving dry conditions, including droughts. It can tolerate these drought conditions once it has had time to build up a sufficient root system underground.
If the Liatris has a root system that is not developed, it can struggle to survive in droughts. While moderate droughts won’t always harm this perennial plant species, a severe drought can harm its chances of survival.
If you are integrating Liatris into your garden, you should be prepared to water it at least once per week until it can develop a sufficient root system. After it becomes independent, the amount of care that you need to supply to your Liatris will go way down.
Soil Conditions For Liatris
Liatris can tolerate poor quality soils in some situations, but it’s generally important for Liatris to be exposed to moist soils and at least average soils. All Liatris plants will prefer well-drained soil.
Other perennial plants that may be included in your garden may not be as effective at handling moisture in the soil as Liatris. This is an important thing to remember when planting Liatris around other similar companion plants.
See our article for Liatris Companion Plants
Caring for Liatris
Liatris can be grown from seeds or corms. Both methods are sufficient and one of the aspects that many people overlook is to plan for adequate spacing. Liatris should always be planted three feet apart from each other, if possible.
If you are planting Liatris with seeds, you’ll have to wait a long time before they bloom. It can take up to two years for this process to finish, and the initial time for establishing them can take around 2 weeks. Source.
Finding the right location is an important decision for the overall care of your Liatris plants. You are going to want to target full sunlight for as much of the day as possible. Liatris prefers at least six to eight hours of full sunlight per day, but it can tolerate slightly less if it is exposed to partial shade instead.
Liatris corms can take one to two inches of water per week during the driest months of the year. This is important as they begin to grow because providing the right amount of water will help them to reach their full potential. Too much water can be just as dangerous as not providing the Liatris with any water.
Since Liatris plants are tenacious, they can survive in droughts, humidity, and heat. They can also survive in colder temperatures as well. Some types of fertilizer may assist your Liatris. You should only add fertilizer if you believe the soil quality requires it.
Does Liatris Come Back Every Year?
With the appropriate care, Liatris can live for many years. They are considered perennial flowers and will come back every single year, especially if they are properly cared for.
Following the basic guides to Liatris care and maintenance that are highlighted in this post will be a great starting point to helping you understand how to plant and care for your Liatris plants. These types of perennial plants can even survive for multiple decades in the ideal growing conditions.
Related Questions
How important is the soil condition for plants like Liatris?
Soil condition is moderately important. While Liatris is tolerable to poor-quality soils in some situations, they generally prefer well-drained soils that have at least an average level of quality. Adding fertilizer may help your Liatris if the soil condition is very poor. You should factor in the soil condition as you plan to grow your Liatris to try and make the entire process as efficient as possible.
How much water should be supplied per week to Liatris?
After planting your Liatris corms, you should water them weekly as the growth process starts. One to two inches per week of water is a general rule for these types of perennial plants. Don’t overwater your Liatris and don’t neglect them, or you may experience challenges in the future.