How to Take Care of a Verbena Plant

Verbena blooms for most of the summer.

A short-lived perennial, verbena provides long-lasting blooms in the summer garden. Verbena blooms even during the heat of summer, when other flowers are prone to wilting or temporary dormancy. Verbena is available in a range of sizes and colors, making the plant suitable for most garden designs. When cared for correctly, verbena is fairly pest-resistant and low-maintenance. Giving the plant too much attention is more likely to lead to problems than too little care, since pampered plants are often overwatered and overfertilized.

Things You'll Need

• Compost
• Fertilizer
• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Prepare a well-drained garden bed in an area that receives at least eight hours of direct sunlight each day. Spread compost 2 to 4 inches deep over the planting area. Work it into the top 8 inches of soil to improve drainage; verbena does not tolerate soggy soils or standing water.

2. Plant the verbena at the same depth in the bed that it was growing in the nursery pot. Space plants eight to 10 inches apart in all directions. Pinch off the top 1/2 inch of each growing tip to encourage full and bushy growth.

3. Maintain soil moisture for the first two weeks after planting. Water when the top 6 inches of soil begins to feel dry, usually once or twice a week. Water thereafter only when less than one inch of rain falls in a given week.

4. Fertilize verbena in late spring or at planting with a complete fertilizer, following the lowest application rate recommended on the package. Fertilize a second time at the same rate after midsummer pruning.

5. Prune back verbena in midsummer when most of the blossoms have faded. Cut the plants back by one-quarter with a pair of shears. Verbena plants begin blooming again three weeks after pruning, advises Clemson Cooperative Extension.

6. Prune verbena in spring when it begins actively growing. Cut the old growth back to the new growth.

Tips & Warnings

• Verbenas must be replaced every three to four years, or grow verbena as an annual and replace it each year.

• Verbena is prone to powdery mildew. Providing enough sunlight and avoiding overwatering prevents this fungus.

References

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Verbena -- Queen of Summer Beauty
• Clemson Cooperative Extension: Verbena