A no nonsense, straight to the point all you need to know in one simple 'how to' video. (don't you just hate those videos that preambles for about 15 minutes without really getting anywhere?). Excellent.
I just bought a bag with 80 Liatris from Costco having no idea what to expect. Thanks for the detailed no nonsense video! I’m in Nebraska and can’t wait to plant them this spring!
you will enjoy it. I bought a bag last year, then 2 new bags this year as well. By far, the most popular flowering plant that is a pollinator magnet. Different types of bee balms right next to it was no match! lol
I'm growing this for the first time this year and I'm so excited!! Last year I discovered we had a bumble bee nest in the backyard, I hope they return again this year to enjoy the plants I have planned 😁 I love pollinators
I was just coming to say the bees love these. From the minute they start popping open we have Bees, butterflies, even the hummingbirds are obsessed with them.
This is a really good and informative video, I really appreciate that you filmed examples of your instructions (which must have taken a while, waiting for everything to grow) and we could see the seedlings' progress ourselves :). Also the brown-belted bumblebees looked real cute. Also, if anyone was wondering, the individual corms I transplanted in my garden in early spring all bloomed in the same summer.
@@growitbuildit Hey Joe you made me giggle, your comment ( how did I get here) reminded me of Talking Heads Same as ever was!! 😄😄😄😄 My first year planting Liatris spicata cannot wait for it to bloom! Thanks
Joe, came upon your videos. Love your factual videos without . Appreciate all the hard work. You are funny even while talking about the birds and seeds. I am going to post on my FB so that more of my garden friends You are a wealth of knowledge. Thanks come from Canada.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate you sharing on your Facebook! And thank you also for the kind words! I'm glad I am able to help you out. Also, we made a group for discussion on native plants on Facebook. You may want to check it out sometime. facebook.com/groups/gardeningwithnativeplants
Such a great presentation. Thank you so much for the concise narration, speeded-up video, and (thank God) for not adding a background music soundtrack!
I'm very happy you found the video helpful Brendan - you're going to love this flower. I'm up to 6-7 different species of Liatris now. They are all great in their own way.
Thanks so much for the truly comprehensive info-seeds, what the seedlings and young clumps look like. Beautiful series of photos. I plan on growing these in Scotland.
Thank you for the wonderful compliment! I'm very happy you found the video helpful. It takes a long time to film these, as it is spread out over a year or more... But, this is a great plant to grow as it attracts a large number of pollinators. It is so nice to take a morning coffee on our front porch and just watch all the wildlife buzzing around our Liatris patch. But thank you again, and good luck!
@@growitbuildit You're editing is excellent and content is appreciated. People like me are seeking intimate knowledge these days----first hand knowledge from someone who grows and appreciates a plant rather than just promoting a 'product'. What people want to view is what something looks like in various stages of life, how to propogate, growing on in situ, style the plant in groups, and how gorgeous it looks in your own garden after living through the whole growing on process. Your enthusiasm for gardening, the plant etc is infectious. Great work! I plan on growing these in a 7 metre x 7 metre pollinator garden of 'tough plants' for my Scottish garden.
Thank you so much Shauna. I'm trying to maintain this level of quality for our videos. Even if it means periodic delays. Thank you again, and good luck with your garden. That is a good size!
About 5 years ago, I bought a random wildflower mix seed packet and this flower was all I ever saw grow from it. Thanks to your video I now know what it is and how to propagate it. It grows in my Butterfly Weed garden section of the yard.
I got some this year at Walmart 40 bulbs for like $10 was a pretty good deal. It’s going to be first time planting this I plant it about 2 weeks ago and now they emerge from the ground I’m pretty excited
You're going to love this flower. I wish it lasted longer, as it is amazing at attracting pollinators. I probably have 50 plants now. I did branch out and start growing some other species within the same genus.
I always come here when I need advice on particular flowers before I buy seeds. I believe I have said it before, but your content is one of the best I've found. Definitely the most comprehensive. Thank you!!!
Thank you! You are very welcome. This is a really great flower - I'm growing about 5-6 different species of Liatris now. There are lots of them, but Liatris Spicata is probably the best all around for ease of use in the garden / growing.
@@growitbuildit, this is great to know! I don't have as much room as you do, so I try to choose the most beneficial native for the wildlife. Happy growing!
So many amazing videos and such great information. This is my new favorite go to for the ins and outs of native wildflowers. Please remember though, all creatures need to eat and most only take what they need to survive and although to some, voles are not as beautiful as hummingbirds, bees and butterflies, they play an important role in the ecosystem as well. The "creative" solution comment, was the first and only time I was upset watching this awesome channel.
I planted this last year and love it. It's threatened where I live (Ontario). Thank you for showing me what the seedlings look like as I never saw that. I think I might have been pulling out some of them thinking they were grass. Where the plant was I got like 4 spiney looking plants which I assumed were the new dense blazing stars popping up.
Hi Derek, I'm glad you found the video helpful. Sometimes you get a lot of seedlings near the mother plant, sometimes I don't see any. So it appears to be highly variable. But if you want to spread the plant, jus scattering seed in the fall is effective as long as it is conditions are right.
@@growitbuildit huh ok. I do have a bunch of seeds that I put the fridge, freezer, drawer. I'm planing on seeing if any are viable. But I need to wait until may. I was a bit slow to putting them away.
Actually you should be stratifying them now. They need cold moist stratification to have a good chance at germination. Here is a short video on how to do the stratificaiton: th-cam.com/video/JIgYeduDiM4/w-d-xo.html And then here is an article I wrote on how to grow this plant from seed. It is based on my experience over the years, what has worked for me. And I also did research quite a bit for other items. growitbuildit.com/how-to-germinate-liatris-seed/ But, hopefully the seeds are still pretty viable since you stored them in the fridge/freezer. But I would get them into a moist towel soon, and then plant. Good luck man!
I am DYING RIGHT NOW!!! I didn’t realize that is what I dug up and threw away!😭😭😭😭 I’d waited two winters for them and the crowns were beautiful and I threw them awayyyyy😭😭😭….thank you for the lesson!! I think I have a few left! The hunt is on! 🌻🌻🌻
@@growitbuildit I went through my bags of weeds, and found a few of the seedlings, but I think I’ll have to try again this fall. Great video, and very helpful! Will do better next time! Thank you!!!
Very informative video. Grew liatrus for the first time last year in zone 2. A real stunning garden addition! So happy I now know what the seeds look like and how to divide when that time comes. Hoping it comes back this year, but its still under snow! 😫
@@growitbuildit I bought 60 pieces ( bulb) to add in my polinators garden this year. So excited.i haven't plant it year.it says in the bag plant after danger of frost?
My barely surviving commercial liatris from last year has picked up this year! 🏆 I thought it was a goner! A butterfly weed I started from seed last year leafed out too! 🎆
What a wonderfully informative post! Thank you 🙏🏼! I just began my planting ventures this spring. I’m located in Tennessee. I purchased this plant at nursery and the stocks grew and bloomed. It’s now going into the 3rd week of August, and I believe the plant is done with it’s cycle. I would love to have it again next season. Do I dig up the corms, and replant them next year? Or can I be lazy and cut back the stocks and let the plant do its thing? And if I were to cut it back, when should that be done? I appreciate any wisdom that you may lend. God bless and thank you for a great video!
Hi Lara - just leave them in the ground. They will resprout next year and throw up more stalks. After 3-4 years, you can consider dividing them. Just dig them up in early Spring when they start to emerge, then use a pruning saw or shovel to cut them in half and replant. For cutting the plant back, you can do so once dormant or when Winter arrives. Or, when the seeds turn brown, you can cut the stalk off then to avoid any self-seeding.
Hi Nica - it depends how developed they are and how protected your area is. If it is well protected, you can transplant a couple weeks after a true leaf shows (the blade of grass in between the cotyledons). If you experience rough storms, you can leave them as seedlings in their pots for longer. I've held them until late summer/fall in 4" pots before transplanting to final location.
Thank you so much for all your informative videos. Inspired me to buy a bag of 30 corms unfortunately in zone 5 B 🇨🇦 ground was not workable so I pot all 30 corms in individual small plastic pots mid March. Can you please advise how long they take to usually sprout inside room temperature near a window . I could see only a couple out of 30 coming up with green . Thanks again for the amazing videos -AJ.
Hi - I don't think I can answer directly, as I haven't tried what you are doing myself. But I would expect them to start putting out roots rather quickly, and possibly sprout within a month. As soon as you think you can work your soil, I would go and plant them into the ground.
Nice video! We planted these last year in red clay soil that stays moist in our wet Tennessee climate. It bloomed well and died back in the fall. Our problem was we didn't prune it back, we just let it sit. This spring the flower had practically taken over the front yard, shoots appearing 35ft away from where we planted them (presumably the seeds got spread during a storm or something). Pretty and worth it though :)
Wow! I've had it spread plenty of times, but never too much. Any spread from Liatris has always been manageable with a rake as long as I got after it early in the Spring.
What a great tutorial! Bravo! I wish they were all this good, thank you very much. I have a question about spacing and foliage... I'm in Ohio, it's mid-May, I'm planting corms and growing these for the first time. (It only recently warmed up here, and I just moved to a new house.) I assume that you leave the leaves alone and let them die down over the winter and remove them completely in the spring, as soon as you can work outside and do some cleanup? Is that correct? I'm planting them against a privacy fence, along a driveway, there are several trellises with clematis growing. It's a narrow bed, only about 18 in wide. I don't think putting them in front of clematis would be a good idea, I bought them with the idea of putting them along that back but think that they are going to take up the whole space by themselves. You mentioned a companion plant, coreopsis would be easy to start from seed and would be very showy. Your comments would be very much appreciated, I hope you see this, thank you again for your tutorial. I'm going to definitely check out what else you've posted.
Hi Jodie, you can cut them back in Spring. I recommend you leave 8" stalk standing, as bees will actually drill holes in the stem ends and lay their eggs. I would plant them in between trellis. If the trellis is tall,then they could go in front too, assuming the trellis is in back. Echinacea, coreopsis, and Spotted Beebalm would all make good companion plants. Good luck!
I just bought a bag of these corms today! I'm in zone 8b, do I need to bring the corms in for winter and should I place them in direct, indirect, full or partial sun? Also, can seeds last til spring in the fridge or do they have a short shelf life? I liked your video, very direct and to the point!! Thanks for the info!!
Hi, the corms can stay in the ground all winter. And this plant likes to grow in full sun. Regarding seeds, they can last for probably one year in the fridge. But the longer they are in there in the baggy, the more their viability will drop. The seeds do need that cold-moist stratification period before planting though.
It's a very useful video, you're doing a wonderful work! I have a concern about my liatris, I don't know why their stems fall down, Is it normal? What can I do about it? They are three years old. Thanks in advance for your answer!
Hi Lidia - In my experience Liatris Spicata will stay vertical pretty much all the time. But other species such as Liatris Aspera or Liatris pycnostachya may lay down if they are not grown close to lots of other plants (they are originally prairie plants). Also, if they have strange lighting, like if they are shaded by a tree for a certain part of the day, then that can cause them to grow in strange directions too.
Than,s so much for this great video. I have these but mine tend to get so tall they flop over. Is there a way I can control their height or make them sturdy enough so the don’t flop over? Thanks so much.
Hi - I've found that in 'mulch heavy' beds they may flop over. I'm actually fighting this on a flower bed with a different species of Liatris right now. The bed has about 6" of mulch. But two other items can be of help too - try to plant them where they can get sun from all sides. And where they can get exposed to wind on all sides. That will help them grow vertical and have stronger stalks. Oh - don't fertilize them either.
Awesome video, very well done, I bought this plant at a local supermarket, quite large it was and planted it in a large pot here in the u.k, it is just about to come out in flower any day now, has 24 stalks that look like they will all flower, it just said liatris on the pot so not sure what type it is
Thank you! Sounds like you have a good sized plant. I've been growing a few in pots myself. Some were random seedlings I potted up. The other container was from different plant that I divided this year. It has about 4 stalks and is blooming, looking pretty good. growitbuildit.com/container-gardening-with-liatris/ But if your pot you bought just said "Liatris" I would assume it is Liatris Spicata, which is the plant in this video. It is by far the most popular and common species sold for good reason. It's so showy and tough. I'm growing a few other Liatris species this year. The blooms on those other species are noticeably different. Thank you again for the compliment! And good luck with your Liatris.
@@growitbuildit thanks for your reply, will let you know how they are doing when the stalks start flowering, so they are quite a late flowering plant then, which is good
As far as flowering time, My Liatris Spicata generally flowers around late June. However, the one in the pot flowered about 2-3 weeks later than the plants in the ground. Not sure if that is just due to different sunlight or something else.
@@growitbuildit even tho my liatris has lots of stalks I think they may not grow to their full potential because when I bought the plant it was 4 plants in one fairly small pot, then I planted them into a much larger pot, but I'm thinking maybe next year I should have one corm in one pot, or get a really big pot to put the whole lot in, what do you think would be best?, I would love to put them into the garden but have no room anywhere, your advice would be much appreciated, thanks
Hi just wanted to tell you that I have 25 flowering stalks in flower right now here in the u.k, this plant is amazing!, Loads of bees, hoverflies, butterflies, and moths are visiting it constantly, it attracts more pollenators than my buddlieas, turning my garden into a pollenators garden and this plant is right at the top of the list, going to buy more next year for sure!
Great information!! Do you suggest putting these in large pots? Also, if I didn’t store in fridge, are my seeds no good? I just stored them in a baggy inside the house! 🙁
Hi Julia - there is only one way to find out, you will have to cold-moist stratify them in the fridge for about two months, then plant them on the surface. You can do this by placing on a moist paper towel, folding it, then placing in a zip-lock bag into the fridge.
Hi Cee- you can expect blooms the second year from seed. If you get them transplanted early enough, you may get some short blooms. But usually by second year you will get at least 1 full blooming stalk per plant.
hi, thank you for the info in the video. i bought some corms but couldn't plant them until today and discovered rhey have already rooted. i don't know whether they will grow. what do you think?
Hi Amr - there should be some roots on the corms. But if you are unsure, plant them now. You'll know in a few weeks if successful (I bet it will grow ok).
I was at Lowe's getting some bage of compost and saw a bag of of these corms........so of course i bought it! Every yeay i say im only going ro plant 2-3 more plants and focus on other things, and every year i plant 5-6 more.🤣
Hi - After blooming they will turn brown/dormant. And they will resemble fuzzy stalks, once the seed has fully formed. At this point you can cut the stalks off. And cut to ground once everything is dormant. In my experience, these plants don't respond well to deadheading. You may get a few tiny blooms just below where you cut the stalk, but that is all.
I bought the bulbs this spring and planted them in march, now they are pretty big already in may... but I really hope they will bloom also the first year ☹️
@@c.s.1227 mine did from bulbs... can't wait for them this year again...the only thing i wish i did - plant the bulbs closer to each other. I left 10 cm space between each bulb as it said on the packaging - turned out too much, could be denser
Hi there! I am new to this plant and have 10 small corms. How many of those flower stalks sprout from one corm? Also, should i only plant one small corm or multiple together in a group? Thank you for the video!
Hi Nona. I would space them about 18"-24" apart. They will grow a grass-like foliage at the base. You may get a bloom this year, or may not depending on the size of the corm and how large it gets this season. Each year the corm mass will grow and get bigger. As this happens, each mass will produce more and more flowering stalks. So there isn't a hard number of stalks per corm. The number of blooms is just proportional to the size of the rootstock/ corm cluster.
@@growitbuildit thank you for responding to my questions! I have been struggling to know what to do with these, but now i have a better idea. I have limited garden space so I'll plant just a few of the corms and I'll give the rest to my neighbors. THANK YOU!!
That is a difficult question. It all depends on what you want to attract, and for how long. The thing is, perennial flowers bloom at different times. The trick is to have at least 3 of something blooming all season. If space is a concern, then the longest blooming perennial (short lived) would probably be False Sunflower and Blanket flower. They both attract a nice variety of bees and some butterflies. But as far as outstanding pollinators attractors, if you are after bees, mountain mint, Monarda Fistulosa, Cup Plant, Liatris, and Swamp Milkweed are probably my top 5. For butterflies, Monarda Fistulosa, Swamp Milkweed, Liatris, Cup Plant, and Joe Pye Weed are outstanding. But, this assumes you have several specimens. Pollinators are more attracted to an all you can eat buffet rather than a roadside vending machine. For annuals, partridge pea is an absolute Bumblebee Magnet. You hear them before you see them.
You can fertilize them, just don't over do it. But in general, Liatris Spicata doesn't really need it. I added compost when I first planted mine out, and that was all. I've never fertilized them since. I did not get any blooms during my first year. However, I shared some with a neighbor, and they did get a few small stalks to bloom.
Your Liatris looked so amazing! I’ve just bought a bag of 80 bulbs from Costco and wanted to plant some in between my rose bushes. Would 1 bill give 1 spike of flowers? I’m thinking of planting 5-7 spikes in between the roses as the space isn’t too much. Thanks!
Hi Liza - A single bulb should give you a single bloom. Every year the bulb will increase in size, producing more spikes. And eventually, you should consider dividing them. If you plant 5-7 bulbs this year, you may have a very over crowded Liatris patch next. You can always dig up and move them in early Spring during emergence though.
@@growitbuildit Thanks so much! With your comment, I’ll probably plant just 3 bulbs in between the rose bush as the space is small. Will divide when the are becomes overcrowded. Can’t wait to see the blooms:) Thanks again!
@@brandiweaver5080 I haven’t planted them yet but may do so in April? I’m a bit worried there may not be enough room to grow them between the rose bushes as they are quite close to each other
Hi - you don't need to do anything if you don't want to. But I cut them off in early Fall. If you leave the stalks up the plants will self-seed. But I don't do anything with the leaves. Hope this helps!
I've looked all over for an answer to this question and have not found it. What do we do with liatris in the early spring, do we prune the stalks down to the ground? My stalks form last year are dryed out completely, I can't imagine them coming to this Summer. Does liatris grow fresh new stalks every year? In that sense are they the same as peonies? Thank you.
Hi, they should grow new stalks each year. You can cut the dead stalks down. In this video, where I show how the divided plants are emerging, if you look close you can probably see the stumps from last years flower stalks.
I planted some seeds into a seed-tray indoors several came up. But that was 2 weeks and none of them have produced any of their true leaves and I checked one and it does have roots either. Do you know whats happening?
I think I planted mine properly. I hope so anyways. I put the little whiskers which I assumed were roots pointing down. Anyone know if I did this right lol?
What no one can seem to answer is my question. If I use my liatris as cut flowers, and cut the stalk/stem low to the ground as its in bloom, did I essentially kill that corm?
I've never done this specifically, but I would think it would resprout. Perhaps just leave 1-2" above the corm. There is stored energy within the corm.
@@thevagabondsageinthewoods the leaves mainly provide photosynthesis, food for the plant. But the stored energy in the roots allow the plant to regrow in Spring. Again, I've not done what you wish to do on this specific species, but, with ANY plant - if you repeatedly cut it back to ground, eventually it exhausts all it's stored energy and dies. But you can definitely take stalks for cut flowers or dried arrangements (I have). If you leave some stem and leaves, the plant should be fine.
@@growitbuildit ok. Thank u!! I am beginning to realize most of this learning process is going to be trial and error, same as with most ventures I suppose. I’m putting in an entire bed of liatris, staggering them about 2 weeks apart and intend to use the stems in bouquets. I suppose I’ll simply leave a few plants alone and seed-save off those, and then cut the rest for bouquets and see how long they keep coming back!! A few trips around the sun is all it takes I think!! 💐🌞
@@thevagabondsageinthewoods Sometimes different growing conditions/sunlight will lead to different bloom times. Also, you might experiment with giving them the 'chelsea chop' to see if that can delay some blooming. It works for other plants - see here. growitbuildit.com/the-chelsea-chop/
The seeds may need light to germinate. At least I always plant them very shallow (dusting) plus sprinkle a few on top. So you could give it a shot with growlights but I've only done it with sunlight. But, make sure you give them a cold treatment of at least 30 days to break dormancy. This video shows you how. th-cam.com/video/JIgYeduDiM4/w-d-xo.html
I purchased what looks like these but they call them bulbs, rather than corms and the bulbs they sent me are much smaller than what you showed in the video. They look like hairy brown raisins but slightly larger. Can you tell me what they could possibly be if not Liatris Spicata?
Hi Kris - these tend to like moist to medium moist soil. So you may want to be prepared to give them supplemental water. Just monitor them - if you notice signs of water stress, or soil is very dry then just water them.
Hmmmm for the lack of spreading I have ( I Try to to plant a bag of corms yearly ) I am beginning to think the bunnies and voles are getting at a lot of mine ,
Hi Jennifer - in my experience, not very much. If you cut the stalk, they generally will put out a small amount of blooms. I don't feel it is worth it in comparison to the action you get from birds eating the seed.
I planted about 40corms here (6B Massachusetts) and NONE of them came! I was so disappointed. Not sure what I did wrong. MAYBE the bunnies ate them all?? Trying again this year!!
That's a bummer. The first year I tried corms it took a long time for them to come up. And all but one did eventually come up. Good luck! And don't plant them too deep!
It's worth a shot. There is really only one way to find out. If you are worried, you may need to order more. Or just hope for some volunteer seedlings in the Spring!
Hi Patricia - you probably aren't doing anything wrong. But in my experience if the plant is growing in a heavy mulch, then it tends to be more likely to flop over. Also, if it doesn't get exposed to wind or sun from all sides, the sometimes this can make a plant more prone to leaning. In fact I'm growing some different Liatris Species right now, and most of them are 'flopping', I assume from heavy mulch.
I love liars and thought that was the seed, gonna try in the spring. I have a question about Passion plant, maybe you can shed some light on something I'm not doing. I have tried to self pollinate and as well bringing the plant into an area with other plants that attract bees, butterflies to make it bare fruit. So far ZERO. Would you have any suggestions as to what I can try next. My plant was rooted from another plant if that helps.
First time grower U.K. can you video how to and when to dead head please. Flowers have now finished but leaves are still in abundance. It doesn’t feel right to cut back to the base right now it’s so much greenery. Can you just cut the heads off?
Hi Hilary - I'll have to make a video on that in the future. But if the flowers have faded, or nearly faded, you can trim them back. Just cut back to the base of the basal foliage. Dead heading doesn't always result in a second round of 'full' blooming. But you will get some new color. If you only trim just below where the flowers were, then you get a couple of small stalks or buds pushing. Pruning to the base sometimes generates a new stalk.
At what point in time are the birds mostly down harvesting the seeds from it and you can then cut it down ? Also- to divide these… you stated in February… I’m not sure where you live but I think our ground would be too frozen where I live?
The birds harvest seeds as they become available. As far as dividing, you can do it as soon as the ground is workable through early Spring as the shoots are emerging.
Is it growing with a thick layer of mulch? In my experience that can make it easier for spike or central stalk plants to tip over. But the best way to keep any flower upright is to make sure it gets sun from East, South, and West. And plant it more in the open, as that way it gets wind from all sides, which strengthens the stalk.
@@growitbuildit this was from a thunderstorm with 80 to 90mph winds. Its a good place, not to much mulch. Ive dealt with these but I have a turf management degree so can I use tomato plant type things to hold them up? Or use tree types with rudder. Or just cut them off? Ever since the storm its been like that, a couple weeks now, there still growing just looks ugly since I strive for perfection.im unsure why this storm had this happen, its been in the ground for 2.5 years now. Can these grow in partial sun or partial shade or are they tolerant at all? Would love to have some in the side yard but it only gets 4 to 6 hours of light
Hi - 80-90 mph winds is pretty tough for anything to withstand. My buddy lost almost all his sunflowers last year in the Midwest Derecho last year. I think tomato cages would work for keeping them up, as they aren't very heavy and have fibrous roots. Cutting them off shouldn't hurt the plant either, and you may get 'somewhat' of a second bloom. But in my experience deadheading these never results in much showiness. They can grow in partial shade, and I do have some of these where they get sun from the East and South, but not West. The ones I have in that location seem to stand up straight enough. Sometimes with various flowers if they only get sun from one or two directions they will start to 'lean' into the sunlight, and be more prone to tipping or flopping in high winds than if they got sun from all around. Also, if they've been in the ground for 2.5 years, you can probably divide them next Spring and score some free plants for the side of your house.
@@growitbuildit sounds great, thanks for the advice. Mine gets around 12 to 14 hours of sun on the longest days of summer. Its next to a Mum that has to be one of the largest Mums ever, 6 feet wide, 5 feet long and 3.5 feet tall, its hurting a little after the wind as well but still standing up straight. I live on a block thats infested with voles for about 15 years now but good news minx or weasels have moved in same with a lot of Owls. Back to plants, I build root guards for all my perennials, shrubs and bushes. For my annuals they only eat some and I build smaller root guards for those depending on container size. We buy everything from Lowes on Clearance or on sale and from a nursery that I havent enjoyed going to this year, flowers arent as nice, workers are no help and prices are outrageous. We spend around $1,000 to $1.5K every year, our we have a concrete patio in front of the entire house so we have a lot of planters, hanging baskets and pots as well with the mulch bed that runs the entire length and down the driveway, neighbors really hate us I think because we make there yards look so pitiful. Do you have a good place to buy gayfeathers from? Are colors limited? Do you have a emial listed anywhere? Easier to have conversations that way because im no professional with flowers especially with these not so common flowers and plants. Thanks again, Im gunna try the tomato plant stands first.
Hi Ben - 60 days is the recommended stratification period. But if you are saving seed to germinate for next year, maybe just store the seed in a ziplock bag in the fridge until it gets cold. Then, winter-sow the seed. It will cover the stratification period, and the seed will germinate when it gets warm out next Spring.
A no nonsense, straight to the point all you need to know in one simple 'how to' video. (don't you just hate those videos that preambles for about 15 minutes without really getting anywhere?). Excellent.
That's the style I aim for - glad you liked it John.
I just bought a bag with 80 Liatris from Costco having no idea what to expect. Thanks for the detailed no nonsense video! I’m in Nebraska and can’t wait to plant them this spring!
You are very welcome - good luck! That is going to make an absolutely great display!
you will enjoy it. I bought a bag last year, then 2 new bags this year as well.
By far, the most popular flowering plant that is a pollinator magnet. Different types of bee balms right next to it was no match! lol
I just bought mine at Costco too
I bought them too and wondered if your seeing in anything coming up yet? I’m in Mid Michigan
@@gail501 me too! I’m excited to see them coming up. I planted mine about a month ago and they’re coming up nicely so far.
I'm growing this for the first time this year and I'm so excited!! Last year I discovered we had a bumble bee nest in the backyard, I hope they return again this year to enjoy the plants I have planned 😁 I love pollinators
Bumblebees LOVE this flower. Good luck!
I was just coming to say the bees love these. From the minute they start popping open we have Bees, butterflies, even the hummingbirds are obsessed with them.
I just turned 40 and am finally getting into flowering plants. I appreciate the simple info.
You are very welcome Ruth!
“Hey, how’d I get here?”….lol 😆 ❤
Hahaha - it's true!
Thanks for the advice I like the fact you show the new shoots in the ground
You are very welcome
This is a really good and informative video, I really appreciate that you filmed examples of your instructions (which must have taken a while, waiting for everything to grow) and we could see the seedlings' progress ourselves :). Also the brown-belted bumblebees looked real cute.
Also, if anyone was wondering, the individual corms I transplanted in my garden in early spring all bloomed in the same summer.
Thank you so much Xian! I'm very happy that you enjoyed it. I really try to give you the full four seasons perspective.
Been Butterfly gardening for over 10 years and it's still an on going experiment.
It never ends!
"Hey, how'd I get here?" (5:57) LOL :D
Nice video. Very helpful!
Thank you!
@@growitbuildit
Hey Joe you made me giggle, your comment ( how did I get here) reminded me of Talking Heads
Same as ever was!! 😄😄😄😄
My first year planting Liatris spicata cannot wait for it to bloom!
Thanks
Haha - thank you.
I love this time - just watching everything spring back to life and anticipating what it will all look like.
@@growitbuildit
Hi Joe with all this monsoons we're having in Chicago, everything it's green and beautiful!
Definitely a video all about liatris..start to finish, & everything in between..thank you. Keep up the excellent tutorials 👌
Thank you Leigh! Glad you are enjoying them.
Joe, came upon your videos. Love your factual videos without . Appreciate all the hard work. You are funny even while talking about the birds and seeds. I am going to post on my FB so that more of my garden friends You are a wealth of knowledge. Thanks come from Canada.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate you sharing on your Facebook! And thank you also for the kind words! I'm glad I am able to help you out.
Also, we made a group for discussion on native plants on Facebook. You may want to check it out sometime. facebook.com/groups/gardeningwithnativeplants
Such a great presentation. Thank you so much for the concise narration, speeded-up video, and (thank God) for not adding a background music soundtrack!
Hahaha - no MUZAK here! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Good luck.
Thank you so much. This was very helpful! We enjoyed your simple, straight-forward explanations.
Thank you Mary Jo - I really appreciate the compliment. I'm happy you found the video helpful!
@chad Abercrombie From seed, it will bloom second year
Great video! You not only told us what would happen, you included it in the video!
You are very welcome - I try to make them all comprehensive!
Thank you for the great instructional video!!! The step by step instructions at your website are very helpful also!
Thank you Adonna! That is my goal so I am happy to hear that you are finding the info helpful!
Am planting some next few days. This was perfect intro to the plant. Looking forward to them!
I'm very happy you found the video helpful Brendan - you're going to love this flower. I'm up to 6-7 different species of Liatris now. They are all great in their own way.
Hi
I'm in Stirling Scotland, loved video on liatris..and your chatty presentation..winner!
Thank you Julie! I'm very happy you enjoyed it.
Thanks so much for the truly comprehensive info-seeds, what the seedlings and young clumps look like. Beautiful series of photos. I plan on growing these in Scotland.
Thank you for the wonderful compliment! I'm very happy you found the video helpful. It takes a long time to film these, as it is spread out over a year or more...
But, this is a great plant to grow as it attracts a large number of pollinators. It is so nice to take a morning coffee on our front porch and just watch all the wildlife buzzing around our Liatris patch.
But thank you again, and good luck!
@@growitbuildit You're editing is excellent and content is appreciated. People like me are seeking intimate knowledge these days----first hand knowledge from someone who grows and appreciates a plant rather than just promoting a 'product'. What people want to view is what something looks like in various stages of life, how to propogate, growing on in situ, style the plant in groups, and how gorgeous it looks in your own garden after living through the whole growing on process. Your enthusiasm for gardening, the plant etc is infectious. Great work! I plan on growing these in a 7 metre x 7 metre pollinator garden of 'tough plants' for my Scottish garden.
Thank you so much Shauna. I'm trying to maintain this level of quality for our videos. Even if it means periodic delays. Thank you again, and good luck with your garden. That is a good size!
Great information!! Thanks I just planted some this year. Love them.
You are very welcome Nora
Thanks for posting this. Just bought 20 corns and looking forward to seeing how they grow. Very informative.
20 corms is going to make for a great display - good luck, and thank you for the kind words!
About 5 years ago, I bought a random wildflower mix seed packet and this flower was all I ever saw grow from it. Thanks to your video I now know what it is and how to propagate it. It grows in my Butterfly Weed garden section of the yard.
Thank you Mike, I'm glad you found it helpful
I got some this year at Walmart 40 bulbs for like $10 was a pretty good deal. It’s going to be first time planting this I plant it about 2 weeks ago and now they emerge from the ground I’m pretty excited
You're going to love this flower. I wish it lasted longer, as it is amazing at attracting pollinators. I probably have 50 plants now. I did branch out and start growing some other species within the same genus.
I planted 40 of the Walmart special today😊
I always come here when I need advice on particular flowers before I buy seeds. I believe I have said it before, but your content is one of the best I've found. Definitely the most comprehensive. Thank you!!!
Thank you! You are very welcome. This is a really great flower - I'm growing about 5-6 different species of Liatris now. There are lots of them, but Liatris Spicata is probably the best all around for ease of use in the garden / growing.
@@growitbuildit, this is great to know! I don't have as much room as you do, so I try to choose the most beneficial native for the wildlife. Happy growing!
So many amazing videos and such great information. This is my new favorite go to for the ins and outs of native wildflowers. Please remember though, all creatures need to eat and most only take what they need to survive and although to some, voles are not as beautiful as hummingbirds, bees and butterflies, they play an important role in the ecosystem as well. The "creative" solution comment, was the first and only time I was upset watching this awesome channel.
These are beautiful!
Thank you - Yes they are!
Thank you for helping fuel my passion for plants
You are very welcome - happy gardening
Great info, thanks for sharing.
You are very welcome Charles
🌱🌿THIS WAS HELPFUL ‼️🌱🌿
Glad it was helpful! Thank you Marlise.
I had never heard of this plant before , excellent video full of useful information . Going to look for the link to order some bulbs
Thank you Jujubee - I'm very happy you found it helpful.
Thank you, I’m going to divide bulbs. I planted one bulb and now there’s 5 . Free Beautiful flowers😊
Exactly!
When did you plant your bulbs? Can I do it now? I am in IL
Really helpful. Thank you.
You are very welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
thank you. It is very helpful video.
You are very welcome mdc - good luck!
I planted this last year and love it. It's threatened where I live (Ontario). Thank you for showing me what the seedlings look like as I never saw that. I think I might have been pulling out some of them thinking they were grass. Where the plant was I got like 4 spiney looking plants which I assumed were the new dense blazing stars popping up.
Hi Derek, I'm glad you found the video helpful. Sometimes you get a lot of seedlings near the mother plant, sometimes I don't see any. So it appears to be highly variable.
But if you want to spread the plant, jus scattering seed in the fall is effective as long as it is conditions are right.
@@growitbuildit huh ok. I do have a bunch of seeds that I put the fridge, freezer, drawer. I'm planing on seeing if any are viable. But I need to wait until may. I was a bit slow to putting them away.
Actually you should be stratifying them now. They need cold moist stratification to have a good chance at germination. Here is a short video on how to do the stratificaiton:
th-cam.com/video/JIgYeduDiM4/w-d-xo.html
And then here is an article I wrote on how to grow this plant from seed. It is based on my experience over the years, what has worked for me. And I also did research quite a bit for other items. growitbuildit.com/how-to-germinate-liatris-seed/
But, hopefully the seeds are still pretty viable since you stored them in the fridge/freezer. But I would get them into a moist towel soon, and then plant. Good luck man!
@chris Abercrombie, yes, monarchs will visit for nectar
I'm on the border of zone 9 and 10, just planted these, hopefully not to hot. Thanks for showing what the seeds will look like.
You are welcome. That is near the limit of what they can take, but good luck!
Excellent video
Thank you Myles!
Thank you! Good to know.
You are very welcome - glad you found it informative!
I have some seed heads from a plant rescue. Wasn't sure what the actual seed looked like. Thanks! 😁
You are very welcome!
I dig that semi-pointed, semi-round shovel. Ima look out for one of those.
It's pretty handy.
I am DYING RIGHT NOW!!! I didn’t realize that is what I dug up and threw away!😭😭😭😭 I’d waited two winters for them and the crowns were beautiful and I threw them awayyyyy😭😭😭….thank you for the lesson!! I think I have a few left! The hunt is on! 🌻🌻🌻
Croms-autocorrect 🙄
Oh no! It will be ok though - these will self-seed, and you can divide the remaining corms next year if they are large enough.
@@growitbuildit I went through my bags of weeds, and found a few of the seedlings, but I think I’ll have to try again this fall. Great video, and very helpful! Will do better next time! Thank you!!!
@colleenross8486 you're welcome, and good luck!
Very informative video. Grew liatrus for the first time last year in zone 2. A real stunning garden addition! So happy I now know what the seeds look like and how to divide when that time comes. Hoping it comes back this year, but its still under snow! 😫
Thank you for the wonderful comment! We love Liatris too. Hopefully it will come roaring back when it warms up!
Thank you😊
You are very welcome!
Thanks!
Thank you SO MUCH Lara!
Thanks
Thank you SO MUCH! Very generous of you!
Great video! Only bought 3 last year. Was wondering how to separate to get more
Thank you Crash! Separating them is quite easy and an efficient way to get more blooming plants right away.
Tks fron Brasil 🇧🇷
You are welcome Ivani.
Thanks buddy
You are welcome Dan - good luck!
Thankyou
You are very welcome Amanda
Definitely adding more liatres this year
They are awesome plants. I always try to let a few volunteer seedlings grow to increase my patch as well.
@@growitbuildit I bought 60 pieces ( bulb) to add in my polinators garden this year. So excited.i haven't plant it year.it says in the bag plant after danger of frost?
I would follow their directions. But, if it is cold hardy to your area it would probably be ok.
@@growitbuildit I live in zone 6b Ontario 🇨🇦 an fitbits a perennial here.
My barely surviving commercial liatris from last year has picked up this year! 🏆 I thought it was a goner!
A butterfly weed I started from seed last year leafed out too! 🎆
That is excellent Kermit - good job!
What a wonderfully informative post! Thank you 🙏🏼! I just began my planting ventures this spring. I’m located in Tennessee. I purchased this plant at nursery and the stocks grew and bloomed. It’s now going into the 3rd week of August, and I believe the plant is done with it’s cycle. I would love to have it again next season. Do I dig up the corms, and replant them next year? Or can I be lazy and cut back the stocks and let the plant do its thing?
And if I were to cut it back, when should that be done?
I appreciate any wisdom that you may lend. God bless and thank you for a great video!
Hi Lara - just leave them in the ground. They will resprout next year and throw up more stalks. After 3-4 years, you can consider dividing them. Just dig them up in early Spring when they start to emerge, then use a pruning saw or shovel to cut them in half and replant.
For cutting the plant back, you can do so once dormant or when Winter arrives. Or, when the seeds turn brown, you can cut the stalk off then to avoid any self-seeding.
@@growitbuildit Thank you! Love the clear and direct answer. I really appreciate it!
Very informative.
Wondering how long you wait before transplanting the seedlings. I have some growing and they look just like the ones in the video.
Hi Nica - it depends how developed they are and how protected your area is. If it is well protected, you can transplant a couple weeks after a true leaf shows (the blade of grass in between the cotyledons). If you experience rough storms, you can leave them as seedlings in their pots for longer. I've held them until late summer/fall in 4" pots before transplanting to final location.
@@growitbuildit Thank you! We are in zone 6b
Thank you so much for all your informative videos. Inspired me to buy a bag of 30 corms unfortunately in zone 5 B 🇨🇦 ground was not workable so I pot all 30 corms in individual small plastic pots mid March. Can you please advise how long they take to usually sprout inside room temperature near a window . I could see only a couple out of 30 coming up with green .
Thanks again for the amazing videos -AJ.
Hi - I don't think I can answer directly, as I haven't tried what you are doing myself. But I would expect them to start putting out roots rather quickly, and possibly sprout within a month. As soon as you think you can work your soil, I would go and plant them into the ground.
@@growitbuildit thanks again 🙏
Nice video! We planted these last year in red clay soil that stays moist in our wet Tennessee climate. It bloomed well and died back in the fall. Our problem was we didn't prune it back, we just let it sit. This spring the flower had practically taken over the front yard, shoots appearing 35ft away from where we planted them (presumably the seeds got spread during a storm or something). Pretty and worth it though :)
Wow! I've had it spread plenty of times, but never too much. Any spread from Liatris has always been manageable with a rake as long as I got after it early in the Spring.
I planted a few of them from bulbs. I didnt know i could plant them from bulbs...going to plant a bunch
If you leave the stalks up, you will get some self seeding too
"Hey, how'd I get here?" 👌😂
Hahaha - it's true!
What a great tutorial! Bravo! I wish they were all this good, thank you very much. I have a question about spacing and foliage...
I'm in Ohio, it's mid-May, I'm planting corms and growing these for the first time. (It only recently warmed up here, and I just moved to a new house.) I assume that you leave the leaves alone and let them die down over the winter and remove them completely in the spring, as soon as you can work outside and do some cleanup? Is that correct? I'm planting them against a privacy fence, along a driveway, there are several trellises with clematis growing. It's a narrow bed, only about 18 in wide. I don't think putting them in front of clematis would be a good idea, I bought them with the idea of putting them along that back but think that they are going to take up the whole space by themselves. You mentioned a companion plant, coreopsis would be easy to start from seed and would be very showy. Your comments would be very much appreciated, I hope you see this, thank you again for your tutorial. I'm going to definitely check out what else you've posted.
Hi Jodie, you can cut them back in Spring. I recommend you leave 8" stalk standing, as bees will actually drill holes in the stem ends and lay their eggs.
I would plant them in between trellis. If the trellis is tall,then they could go in front too, assuming the trellis is in back. Echinacea, coreopsis, and Spotted Beebalm would all make good companion plants.
Good luck!
Didn't know the seeds needed the cold, but that explains quite a bit.
Liatris seeds can be finicky. They need to be stored in a sealed container in the fridge as well
I just bought a bag of these corms today! I'm in zone 8b, do I need to bring the corms in for winter and should I place them in direct, indirect, full or partial sun? Also, can seeds last til spring in the fridge or do they have a short shelf life?
I liked your video, very direct and to the point!! Thanks for the info!!
Hi, the corms can stay in the ground all winter. And this plant likes to grow in full sun. Regarding seeds, they can last for probably one year in the fridge. But the longer they are in there in the baggy, the more their viability will drop. The seeds do need that cold-moist stratification period before planting though.
It's a very useful video, you're doing a wonderful work! I have a concern about my liatris, I don't know why their stems fall down, Is it normal? What can I do about it? They are three years old. Thanks in advance for your answer!
Hi Lidia - In my experience Liatris Spicata will stay vertical pretty much all the time. But other species such as Liatris Aspera or Liatris pycnostachya may lay down if they are not grown close to lots of other plants (they are originally prairie plants). Also, if they have strange lighting, like if they are shaded by a tree for a certain part of the day, then that can cause them to grow in strange directions too.
These are glorious when in bloom. And maybe I need to divide them again... not sure.,
Dig them up this Spring to check. You can always put them right back if you don't need to divide.
Than,s so much for this great video. I have these but mine tend to get so tall they flop over. Is there a way I can control their height or make them sturdy enough so the don’t flop over? Thanks so much.
Hi - I've found that in 'mulch heavy' beds they may flop over. I'm actually fighting this on a flower bed with a different species of Liatris right now. The bed has about 6" of mulch.
But two other items can be of help too - try to plant them where they can get sun from all sides. And where they can get exposed to wind on all sides. That will help them grow vertical and have stronger stalks. Oh - don't fertilize them either.
Awesome video, very well done, I bought this plant at a local supermarket, quite large it was and planted it in a large pot here in the u.k, it is just about to come out in flower any day now, has 24 stalks that look like they will all flower, it just said liatris on the pot so not sure what type it is
Thank you! Sounds like you have a good sized plant. I've been growing a few in pots myself. Some were random seedlings I potted up. The other container was from different plant that I divided this year. It has about 4 stalks and is blooming, looking pretty good. growitbuildit.com/container-gardening-with-liatris/
But if your pot you bought just said "Liatris" I would assume it is Liatris Spicata, which is the plant in this video. It is by far the most popular and common species sold for good reason. It's so showy and tough. I'm growing a few other Liatris species this year. The blooms on those other species are noticeably different.
Thank you again for the compliment! And good luck with your Liatris.
@@growitbuildit thanks for your reply, will let you know how they are doing when the stalks start flowering, so they are quite a late flowering plant then, which is good
As far as flowering time, My Liatris Spicata generally flowers around late June. However, the one in the pot flowered about 2-3 weeks later than the plants in the ground. Not sure if that is just due to different sunlight or something else.
@@growitbuildit even tho my liatris has lots of stalks I think they may not grow to their full potential because when I bought the plant it was 4 plants in one fairly small pot, then I planted them into a much larger pot, but I'm thinking maybe next year I should have one corm in one pot, or get a really big pot to put the whole lot in, what do you think would be best?, I would love to put them into the garden but have no room anywhere, your advice would be much appreciated, thanks
Hi just wanted to tell you that I have 25 flowering stalks in flower right now here in the u.k, this plant is amazing!, Loads of bees, hoverflies, butterflies, and moths are visiting it constantly, it attracts more pollenators than my buddlieas, turning my garden into a pollenators garden and this plant is right at the top of the list, going to buy more next year for sure!
Great information!! Do you suggest putting these in large pots? Also, if I didn’t store in fridge, are my seeds no good? I just stored them in a baggy inside the house! 🙁
Hi Julia - there is only one way to find out, you will have to cold-moist stratify them in the fridge for about two months, then plant them on the surface. You can do this by placing on a moist paper towel, folding it, then placing in a zip-lock bag into the fridge.
Ooops, I mistook the sprouts as weeds this late spring - they popped right with the crab grass. Lessons learned for next year!
No worries - these always self seed if you leave the stalk up!
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you!
Hello. Thank you for the video. I am sure this question has been ask in the many other questions, but how long to flower from seed? Again, thank you
Hi Cee- you can expect blooms the second year from seed. If you get them transplanted early enough, you may get some short blooms. But usually by second year you will get at least 1 full blooming stalk per plant.
can u make a video about partridge pea
It's on my list. Can't say when it will happen. Probably this winter sometime. I've got quite a backlog.
hi, thank you for the info in the video. i bought some corms but couldn't plant them until today and discovered rhey have already rooted. i don't know whether they will grow. what do you think?
Hi Amr - there should be some roots on the corms. But if you are unsure, plant them now. You'll know in a few weeks if successful (I bet it will grow ok).
@@growitbuildit thank you very much.
I was at Lowe's getting some bage of compost and saw a bag of of these corms........so of course i bought it! Every yeay i say im only going ro plant 2-3 more plants and focus on other things, and every year i plant 5-6 more.🤣
Sounds like a common problem many of us share!
Do you prune these back at all? And what do you do to them in fall?
Hi - After blooming they will turn brown/dormant. And they will resemble fuzzy stalks, once the seed has fully formed. At this point you can cut the stalks off. And cut to ground once everything is dormant.
In my experience, these plants don't respond well to deadheading. You may get a few tiny blooms just below where you cut the stalk, but that is all.
I bought the bulbs this spring and planted them in march, now they are pretty big already in may... but I really hope they will bloom also the first year ☹️
Mine haven't started shooting up stalks yet. I hope they do for you though.
Did they flower for you in the first year?
@C.S. from seed they won't flower. But if you're buying bulbs, then you should get one blooming stalk the first year.
@@c.s.1227 mine did from bulbs... can't wait for them this year again...the only thing i wish i did - plant the bulbs closer to each other. I left 10 cm space between each bulb as it said on the packaging - turned out too much, could be denser
Hi there! I am new to this plant and have 10 small corms. How many of those flower stalks sprout from one corm? Also, should i only plant one small corm or multiple together in a group? Thank you for the video!
Hi Nona. I would space them about 18"-24" apart. They will grow a grass-like foliage at the base. You may get a bloom this year, or may not depending on the size of the corm and how large it gets this season.
Each year the corm mass will grow and get bigger. As this happens, each mass will produce more and more flowering stalks. So there isn't a hard number of stalks per corm. The number of blooms is just proportional to the size of the rootstock/ corm cluster.
@@growitbuildit thank you for responding to my questions! I have been struggling to know what to do with these, but now i have a better idea. I have limited garden space so I'll plant just a few of the corms and I'll give the rest to my neighbors. THANK YOU!!
You are very welcome Nona. And good luck!
what would you say is the BEST pollinator magnet?
That is a difficult question. It all depends on what you want to attract, and for how long. The thing is, perennial flowers bloom at different times. The trick is to have at least 3 of something blooming all season.
If space is a concern, then the longest blooming perennial (short lived) would probably be False Sunflower and Blanket flower. They both attract a nice variety of bees and some butterflies.
But as far as outstanding pollinators attractors, if you are after bees, mountain mint, Monarda Fistulosa, Cup Plant, Liatris, and Swamp Milkweed are probably my top 5.
For butterflies, Monarda Fistulosa, Swamp Milkweed, Liatris, Cup Plant, and Joe Pye Weed are outstanding.
But, this assumes you have several specimens. Pollinators are more attracted to an all you can eat buffet rather than a roadside vending machine.
For annuals, partridge pea is an absolute Bumblebee Magnet. You hear them before you see them.
My first year fixing to plant corms in ground it will get afternoon sunlight. Can I fertile even though I may get a few blooms first year?
You can fertilize them, just don't over do it. But in general, Liatris Spicata doesn't really need it. I added compost when I first planted mine out, and that was all. I've never fertilized them since. I did not get any blooms during my first year. However, I shared some with a neighbor, and they did get a few small stalks to bloom.
Hyssops anise also gets covered in bumble bees
Absolutely - I have tons of those too!
Your Liatris looked so amazing! I’ve just bought a bag of 80 bulbs from Costco and wanted to plant some in between my rose bushes. Would 1 bill give 1 spike of flowers? I’m thinking of planting 5-7 spikes in between the roses as the space isn’t too much. Thanks!
Hi Liza - A single bulb should give you a single bloom. Every year the bulb will increase in size, producing more spikes. And eventually, you should consider dividing them. If you plant 5-7 bulbs this year, you may have a very over crowded Liatris patch next. You can always dig up and move them in early Spring during emergence though.
@@growitbuildit Thanks so much! With your comment, I’ll probably plant just 3 bulbs in between the rose bush as the space is small. Will divide when the are becomes overcrowded. Can’t wait to see the blooms:) Thanks again!
@@lizasklau When will you plant your bulbs?
@@brandiweaver5080 I haven’t planted them yet but may do so in April? I’m a bit worried there may not be enough room to grow them between the rose bushes as they are quite close to each other
What do i do with this plant in the winter? Do i cut it all the way back? prune it? let it be? Yours seem to be cut back or was that natural?
Hi - you don't need to do anything if you don't want to. But I cut them off in early Fall. If you leave the stalks up the plants will self-seed. But I don't do anything with the leaves. Hope this helps!
I bought a pack of corms at Home Depot this year. I’m getting ready to plant them. Do you think they will bloom this year?
Hi Linda - it is definitely possible to get single stalks this year. Next year you should get several stalks per plant.
5:54 that’s funny 😂
I've looked all over for an answer to this question and have not found it. What do we do with liatris in the early spring, do we prune the stalks down to the ground? My stalks form last year are dryed out completely, I can't imagine them coming to this Summer. Does liatris grow fresh new stalks every year? In that sense are they the same as peonies? Thank you.
Hi, they should grow new stalks each year. You can cut the dead stalks down. In this video, where I show how the divided plants are emerging, if you look close you can probably see the stumps from last years flower stalks.
Thank you sir.
I planted some seeds into a seed-tray indoors several came up. But that was 2 weeks and none of them have produced any of their true leaves and I checked one and it does have roots either. Do you know whats happening?
Sounds like they need more sun. Can you move them somewhere that gets morning sun and afternoon shade?
I don´t know where the top is and where the roots are with the bulbs....
You should be able to see small tiny 'hairs' on one end of the bulb. Those are roots.
I think I planted mine properly. I hope so anyways. I put the little whiskers which I assumed were roots pointing down. Anyone know if I did this right lol?
That is correct. You should be good.
What no one can seem to answer is my question. If I use my liatris as cut flowers, and cut the stalk/stem low to the ground as its in bloom, did I essentially kill that corm?
I've never done this specifically, but I would think it would resprout. Perhaps just leave 1-2" above the corm. There is stored energy within the corm.
@@growitbuildit I am guessing the leaves store energy as well? So if I leave the leaves and a small stem, it could come back?
@@thevagabondsageinthewoods the leaves mainly provide photosynthesis, food for the plant. But the stored energy in the roots allow the plant to regrow in Spring. Again, I've not done what you wish to do on this specific species, but, with ANY plant - if you repeatedly cut it back to ground, eventually it exhausts all it's stored energy and dies. But you can definitely take stalks for cut flowers or dried arrangements (I have). If you leave some stem and leaves, the plant should be fine.
@@growitbuildit ok. Thank u!! I am beginning to realize most of this learning process is going to be trial and error, same as with most ventures I suppose. I’m putting in an entire bed of liatris, staggering them about 2 weeks apart and intend to use the stems in bouquets. I suppose I’ll simply leave a few plants alone and seed-save off those, and then cut the rest for bouquets and see how long they keep coming back!! A few trips around the sun is all it takes I think!! 💐🌞
@@thevagabondsageinthewoods Sometimes different growing conditions/sunlight will lead to different bloom times. Also, you might experiment with giving them the 'chelsea chop' to see if that can delay some blooming. It works for other plants - see here. growitbuildit.com/the-chelsea-chop/
Can I start the seeds in December indoors with grow lights and a heat pad?
The seeds may need light to germinate. At least I always plant them very shallow (dusting) plus sprinkle a few on top. So you could give it a shot with growlights but I've only done it with sunlight.
But, make sure you give them a cold treatment of at least 30 days to break dormancy. This video shows you how. th-cam.com/video/JIgYeduDiM4/w-d-xo.html
@@growitbuildit thank you!
Good luck Anthony. Let me know how it turns out.
I purchased what looks like these but they call them bulbs, rather than corms and the bulbs they sent me are much smaller than what you showed in the video. They look like hairy brown raisins but slightly larger. Can you tell me what they could possibly be if not Liatris Spicata?
If the label says "Blazing Star" or Gayfeather, it is probably Liatris Spicata. Many people use the term bulb/corm interchangeably.
Just bought some corms never have grown this
I live in zone 9 and Texas sun can be brutal
Hi Kris - these tend to like moist to medium moist soil. So you may want to be prepared to give them supplemental water. Just monitor them - if you notice signs of water stress, or soil is very dry then just water them.
Does it bloom first year from seed? I bought corms but want to grow the seeds. Thanks
Seeds won't bloom until the 2nd year. They spend the first year making a corm mass.
Hmmmm for the lack of spreading I have ( I Try to to plant a bag of corms yearly ) I am beginning to think the bunnies and voles are getting at a lot of mine ,
That could be - I have a decent amount of self-seeding with mine.
If you deadhead, will they continue to rebloom in the same season?
Hi Jennifer - in my experience, not very much. If you cut the stalk, they generally will put out a small amount of blooms. I don't feel it is worth it in comparison to the action you get from birds eating the seed.
What kind of spacing do you suggest? About 1 foot?
Hi Andrew - 1 to 2 feet is good.
I planted about 40corms here (6B Massachusetts) and NONE of them came! I was so disappointed. Not sure what I did wrong. MAYBE the bunnies ate them all?? Trying again this year!!
That's a bummer. The first year I tried corms it took a long time for them to come up. And all but one did eventually come up. Good luck! And don't plant them too deep!
I accidentally left my seeds in our cold garage (it's gone down to at least -15 !). Do you think these seeds will be OK to plant?
It's worth a shot. There is really only one way to find out. If you are worried, you may need to order more. Or just hope for some volunteer seedlings in the Spring!
this is my first year growing this plant and they flowered beautifully but they are falling over, is this normal or am I doing something wrong?
Hi Patricia - you probably aren't doing anything wrong. But in my experience if the plant is growing in a heavy mulch, then it tends to be more likely to flop over. Also, if it doesn't get exposed to wind or sun from all sides, the sometimes this can make a plant more prone to leaning. In fact I'm growing some different Liatris Species right now, and most of them are 'flopping', I assume from heavy mulch.
I am from India how can we get the seed please help
Best Quote:
"....and for the moles - get creative on that. That's all I'm going to say on that." :)
Lol
I love liars and thought that was the seed, gonna try in the spring. I have a question about Passion plant, maybe you can shed some light on something I'm not doing. I have tried to self pollinate and as well bringing the plant into an area with other plants that attract bees, butterflies to make it bare fruit. So far ZERO. Would you have any suggestions as to what I can try next. My plant was rooted from another plant if that helps.
Hi Audra - I'm sorry I can't offer you help, but I have yet to grow the Passion Fruit. It is on my list though, I just haven't gotten to it yet.
@@growitbuildit thank you for getting back to me, if you ever do find any trick, pass it along!!
First time grower U.K. can you video how to and when to dead head please. Flowers have now finished but leaves are still in abundance. It doesn’t feel right to cut back to the base right now it’s so much greenery. Can you just cut the heads off?
Hi Hilary - I'll have to make a video on that in the future. But if the flowers have faded, or nearly faded, you can trim them back. Just cut back to the base of the basal foliage. Dead heading doesn't always result in a second round of 'full' blooming. But you will get some new color.
If you only trim just below where the flowers were, then you get a couple of small stalks or buds pushing. Pruning to the base sometimes generates a new stalk.
At what point in time are the birds mostly down harvesting the seeds from it and you can then cut it down ?
Also- to divide these… you stated in February… I’m not sure where you live but I think our ground would be too frozen where I live?
The birds harvest seeds as they become available. As far as dividing, you can do it as soon as the ground is workable through early Spring as the shoots are emerging.
What about wind damage? The spikes that are hanging parallel to the ground after strong winds from storm?
Is it growing with a thick layer of mulch? In my experience that can make it easier for spike or central stalk plants to tip over. But the best way to keep any flower upright is to make sure it gets sun from East, South, and West. And plant it more in the open, as that way it gets wind from all sides, which strengthens the stalk.
@@growitbuildit this was from a thunderstorm with 80 to 90mph winds. Its a good place, not to much mulch. Ive dealt with these but I have a turf management degree so can I use tomato plant type things to hold them up? Or use tree types with rudder. Or just cut them off? Ever since the storm its been like that, a couple weeks now, there still growing just looks ugly since I strive for perfection.im unsure why this storm had this happen, its been in the ground for 2.5 years now. Can these grow in partial sun or partial shade or are they tolerant at all? Would love to have some in the side yard but it only gets 4 to 6 hours of light
@@growitbuildit thank you for the hrlp
Hi - 80-90 mph winds is pretty tough for anything to withstand. My buddy lost almost all his sunflowers last year in the Midwest Derecho last year.
I think tomato cages would work for keeping them up, as they aren't very heavy and have fibrous roots. Cutting them off shouldn't hurt the plant either, and you may get 'somewhat' of a second bloom. But in my experience deadheading these never results in much showiness.
They can grow in partial shade, and I do have some of these where they get sun from the East and South, but not West. The ones I have in that location seem to stand up straight enough. Sometimes with various flowers if they only get sun from one or two directions they will start to 'lean' into the sunlight, and be more prone to tipping or flopping in high winds than if they got sun from all around.
Also, if they've been in the ground for 2.5 years, you can probably divide them next Spring and score some free plants for the side of your house.
@@growitbuildit sounds great, thanks for the advice. Mine gets around 12 to 14 hours of sun on the longest days of summer. Its next to a Mum that has to be one of the largest Mums ever, 6 feet wide, 5 feet long and 3.5 feet tall, its hurting a little after the wind as well but still standing up straight.
I live on a block thats infested with voles for about 15 years now but good news minx or weasels have moved in same with a lot of Owls. Back to plants, I build root guards for all my perennials, shrubs and bushes. For my annuals they only eat some and I build smaller root guards for those depending on container size. We buy everything from Lowes on Clearance or on sale and from a nursery that I havent enjoyed going to this year, flowers arent as nice, workers are no help and prices are outrageous.
We spend around $1,000 to $1.5K every year, our we have a concrete patio in front of the entire house so we have a lot of planters, hanging baskets and pots as well with the mulch bed that runs the entire length and down the driveway, neighbors really hate us I think because we make there yards look so pitiful.
Do you have a good place to buy gayfeathers from? Are colors limited? Do you have a emial listed anywhere? Easier to have conversations that way because im no professional with flowers especially with these not so common flowers and plants. Thanks again, Im gunna try the tomato plant stands first.
How long should you cold stratify liatris?
Hi Ben - 60 days is the recommended stratification period. But if you are saving seed to germinate for next year, maybe just store the seed in a ziplock bag in the fridge until it gets cold. Then, winter-sow the seed. It will cover the stratification period, and the seed will germinate when it gets warm out next Spring.
@@growitbuildit Oh nice. Thanks for the tip. Should the seed still be allowed to dry for a few days before bagging and placing in the fridge?
Yes, I would do that. Make sure it has no water drops on it. That way it won't rot.
@@growitbuildit Cheers!