How to Grow Scotch Heather (Calluna Vulgaris)

Scotch heather, an evergreen ground cover or low shrub for sun, blooms during late summer in shades of white, pink, red and lavender. Scotch heather thrives in USDA zones 4 to 8.

Things You'll Need

• Fertilizers
• Garden Hoses
• Garden Spades
• Mulch
• Plants
• Seeds
• Shovels

Instructions

1. Look for plants at nurseries in spring and summer, or year-round in warmer climates.

2. Choose healthy-looking plants with signs of new growth in leaves and flower buds. Buy Scotch heather in 1-gallon containers.

3. Choose a site with full sun and well-drained soil.

4. Dig a hole for each plant no deeper than the plants were growing in the containers; space the holes 2 feet apart.

5. Add a light application of organic fertilizer to the planting holes before setting the plants in.

6. Mulch around but not on top of the plants with 3 inches of organic compost.

7. Water well until soil is completely moist, during the first year only - Scotch heather won't need extra water once it's established.

8. Refrain from pruning - it isn't necessary and may in fact disfigure the plant.

Tips & Warnings

• Scotch heather comes in many sizes and colors - look for mat-forming ground covers that spread 3 feet or more as well as small, rounded shrubs that grow 2 feet high and 3 feet wide.

• Mat-forming Scotch heather is an excellent ground cover for sunny paths. The shrubs work well at the top or bottom of a sunny wall or in a rockery.

• Scotch heather likes slightly acid soil - the same kind of soil that rhododendrons, azaleas and blueberries prefer.