help with heathers

ive just bought some heathers that are not in very good condition (reduced price!)
Im just wondering if I should plant them now or repot them and keep them shelterd untill spring?

 

Hi,

It depends on which types they are and where you live. If they are winter or summer flowering and you live in a relatively warm part of the country I'd plant them now. (I live in Scotland so I would be a bit careful of the summer flowering ones which surprisingly can be fairly tender as they bode from sunnier climes). Winter flowering are as tough as old boots so no need to worry about planting them out.
If the heathers are really tatty (new growth brown) then I'd prune that off as will not recover. Winter flowering heathers can be pruned relatively hard but not summer flowering as if pruned too hard they won't break again.

Only a suggestion but if the heathers are really in bad condition you could "drop" them. Think that is the terminology. Probably you can find out what to do on the net, but basically dig a hole deep enough to bury all but the top inch or so of the plant mix plenty of leaf mould/peat in the hole and all but bury the heather. Next spring you should get lots of new growth from the top of the heather. The technique is a bit like layering in numbers!!! It will get rid of the problem of lots of brown stems which are too far from growing points and won't break again. I've done this may times when heathers are getting fairly elderly or I forgot to prune them after they flowered!
Heathers really do like lots of sun especially the summer flowering ones, it's just getting the right balance betwen sun and keeping them fairly damp, but not waterlogged which they hate. Hope this helps. If you don't know if the heathers are summer or winter flowering maybe PM what's on the labels if they have them. If they are in bad condition and old stock it would suggest they are summer flowering but maybe not.