How to Get Sedum to Bloom

Sedum blossoms will attract butterflies.

A common gardener’s challenge involves choosing flowers and plants that stay attractive throughout the entire growing season. The perennial sedum fits this description with its vibrant green foliage that emerges early in the season. As the foliage grows lush and strong, eventually the sedum will burst forth with a riot of colorful blossoms in late summer. If you cut back the sedum plants after the flowers fade, you may get sedum to bloom a second time.

Things You'll Need

• Pruning shears
• Basket or bin
• Pine straw or shredded bark mulch
• Water-soluble fertilizer (10-10-10)

Instructions

Sedum Pruning

1. Grasp a flower stem firmly in one hand after it fades and withers on the plant.

2. Clip off the stem near the base of the plant with a pair of pruning shears.

3. Place the detached stem into a basket or bin to discard it. Avoid leaving removed plant material on the soil around the plant because this practice may contribute to plant disease.

4. Discard all stems in a compost pile or in the trash.

Sedum Maintenance

1. Apply 2 to 3 inches of pine straw or shredded bark between the sedum plants to help minimize weeds and improve soil conditions, which can increase blooms.

2. Mix 10-10-10 fertilizer with water according to the package directions and apply it to the sedum plants every four to six weeks during the growing season. Pour the fertilizer over the soil carefully.

3. Provide irrigation for your sedum plants only during extreme drought conditions. Sedum plants are drought-resistant and will usually continue to bloom even during dry weather. If the soil dries out and you notice that the plants appear to be wilting from lack of moisture, water the soil evenly.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also shape a sedum plant in mid-summer if you want to create a bushier plant. By pinching back the stems to 6 to 8 inches, you may delay blooms slightly, but the plant will usually respond with bushier growth and more prolific blooming after pruning.

References

• Dutch Bulbs: Sedum Summer Glory
• Cornell University Department of Horticulture: Caring for Perennials
• Fine Gardening: Sedum "Autumn Joy"