How to Take Care of a Butterfly Bush
There are many flowering plants that attract beautiful wildlife that gardeners can enjoy. Butterfly bushes attract both hummingbirds and butterflies because of the intoxicating aromas they produce. They range in sizes from five to 10 feet tall and wide. There are a large variety of colors of the butterfly bush's flowers, including white, yellow, blue, red, pink, and purple. They are hearty bushes that can survive in cold or hot climates. Since they are evergreen plants, they will not drop their dead blooms. They are easy plants to care for. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Choose a site to plant your butterfly bush that has direct sunlight. Avoid shade altogether if possible. Ensure your site has good drainage and will not flood.
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Plant your bushes, during the spring or fall months and space them a minimum of five feet apart.
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Till the soil at least 14 inches deep. Add compost to the tilled soil to a minimum of three inches in depth.
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Place root balls into the tilled soil even with the top on the soil level. Cover the root ball with the tilled soil, pat down, and water.
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Add compost and apply three inches of shaved hardwood to the base of the plant in the spring to hold in moisture.
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Water during the summer months only when you experience less than one inch of rain during the week or if you notice wilting of the blooms.
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Prune the dead buds from your butterfly bush to encourage flowering.
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Protect your plant with a layer of mulch during the winter months. Trim the plant to an inch above the soil line for the winter.
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Tips & Warnings
There is no need to worry about overpruning your plant. Butterfly bushes grow quickly and blooms will return. You cannot ruin your plant by pruning it.
From a distance, it will be hard to tell that blooms have died; however, it is very evident up close. Since they are evergreen plants and will hold onto their blooms even when they are dead, you will want to check your plant weekly for dead blooms and prune them.
Butterfly plants do well in planters as well as open soil. If you prefer to start them in a container, choose one that is at least five gallons in size. After two seasons in the container, you will want to transplant them to your yard.
Since butterfly bushes vary greatly in size, check with your local nursery to find out how much room they need to grow. If you do choose a larger variety, you will want to change the spacing accordingly.
