Am I Taking Good Care Of My Heleniums?

Did you planted your heleniums somewhere where they can get at least 6 hours of sunlight each day?

Do you grow your heleniums in containers?

Did you planted your heleniums in a well-drained, slightly acidic soil?

Did you spaced your heleniums so they don't get overcrowded?

Are you making sure that the soil is moist at all times?

Do you fertilize your heleniums frequently?

Do you divide your heleniums every three to four years?

Do you keep your heleniums free of pests and diseases?

Helenium flowers will get leggy if they don’t receive at least six hours of sun each day, but they will accept some afternoon shade, especially if the planting area is on the dry side.

Heleniums are not suited to containers. If you do try and grow them in containers they will need frequent and thorough watering throughout the whole summer.

Helenium plants like their soil to be slightly acidic, with an ideal pH range of 5.5 to 7.0. Place heleniums where they will enjoy moist conditions, but not in a boggy site. Well-drained soil is best, but heleniums are clay tolerant and will grow even in compacted soils.

Helenium plants tolerate humidity and hot summers, but the proper spacing is important to prevent fungal diseases like mildew and rust where humidity is high.

Heleniums like moderate to heavy moisture, hence the nickname swamp sunflower. A 3-inch layer of organic mulch will conserve moisture and maintain the acidic soil pH.

Heleniums aren’t heavy feeders, and one application of a balanced flower fertilizer in the spring is enough in fertile soils. Excessive fertilizer causes lanky growth in these plants.

After three or four years flowering will start to deteriorate. The solution is to divide the plants and then replant them. One three-year-old Helenium can be divided into four new plants without any problem.

Good job! You are taking good care of your heleniums.

Heleniums are susceptible to small insects like aphids, spider mites, thrips, and leafhoppers. Protect your plants with insecticidal soap when the pests appear. Slugs and snails will also eat helenium foliage. You can make beer traps or use diatomaceous earth around your plants to protect them. Most fungal diseases can be prevented by properly spacing heleniums to avoid overcrowding, and maintaining good watering practice. Control pests to prevent aster yellows and viruses.