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» mikmik - propagate/divide? woody heucheras

old old 'coral bells' with crowns on 4-6 inch woody stalks- can i raise the soil up to the crowns and hope for rooting or is there another way to save these prolific shade bloomers from old age?

-- posted by mikmik

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» Marge_Talt - heucheras rising

Welcome to Gardening in Shade!

Well, best is to dig and reset them in early spring, at which time, you can also divide them.

But, for now, go ahead and top dress them (add a nice mix of soil and compost) to cover those old crowns a bit. I just did this for a couple of mine who ought to have been reset last spring but weren't.

If you can add mix so it stays put, there is a chance they might root into it, but it will chiefly help stop them from heaving over winter, if your winters have freeze and thaw.

Next spring, early, dig and divide or dig and reset, amending the soil while you're at it.

Whoops! Not knowing where you garden, I was assuming it similar to my conditions. You may have totally different weather, in which case you can dig and reset now. But, if you're having the heat and drought we are around here, topdressing is best at this time.

-- posted by Marge_Talt

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