A Secret to Growing Happy Heucheras | Gardening with Creekside

Heucheras are a fantastic perennial to have in your garden, but one common complaint is that they are short-lived, even in our zone 7b climate. When my friend Kata from Walters Gardens was here a few weeks ago, she recommended that one easy way to extend the life of our heucheras was to replant them deeper. So today I am going to show you how easy it is to do just that!
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[@josh.kaptur]

Heucheras are my favorite plant to divide in zone 7. You could have easily split that plant into a dozen ore more plants. Each stalk or “trunk” can be cut away and all but 2-3 new leaves trimmed off... then just plant the trunk directly in the soil using the same principle discussed in the video (that trunk will essentially become a tap root). I divided 5 heucheras this way in September into over 100 plants, and I believe had a 100% take rate (all plants put out a few new leaves this fall). I expect them to take off in the spring and have large drifts of heuchera ground-cover in my shade garden.

[@emptynestgardens9057]

I'm in zone 5 and that's what I've found to be the case as well. 👍🏻

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

Thanks for letting me know! I was debating on my mind whether or not to go ahead and split it, but decided it to play it safe since I was filming it 😂

[@emptynestgardens9057]

@@GardeningwithCreekside lol good call 😁 Rest assured though I'm pretty brutal ripping mine apart and they love it 😂😊

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

@@emptynestgardens9057 next time I will show no mercy 😉

[@saraw8503]

Yes. I would have hacked this apart. Nice pot. (Zone 8 coastal NC)

[@bettenotap4791]

I discovered this method by accident, the squirrels pushed dirt out of my planter of Heucheras. When I top dressed it, they came back very nicely because I was burying the root stalks higher with as much dirt as the container could hold. They do much better for me in planters in Ontario Canada. I’ll be doing your method in the early spring, we’ve got snow now. Great video Jenny, the clear as glass closeups are very much appreciated. 🇨🇦

[@marylisageorge8739]

Thank you. I always wondered why they seemed to be trying to escape the garden beds.Haha😂

[@dianawilson5030]

Hi Jenny. I read same article! I had a rose with clematis in container that was just sad. Bumped up size of container and then put the compost in bottom half (it’s a big container) and man did it come back! It’s now leading it’s best life.

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

Yay!!!!!

[@lucyElaine5656]

Coral Bells are one of my favorite plants, I use them for the colors of leaves. I have so many colors. The one thing I find is don't over water them and here in Pennsylvania they love the shade.Thank you for your video.

[@pamelacallaway3922]

Yes, pulling it out and dividing it and repotting works! I’ve had excellent results with its survival! Thanks for the great lesson!

[@tracyoconnor-mcgraw4952]

As I watched this when Jenny put the Cora bell deep into the container I said out loud now we’re cooking with peanut oil it was like there was an echo when she said it!🌻

[@larakalevra2233]

That planter looks so perfect with just green foliage in it!

[@SusanMiddleton1]

I’ve had two of my Heucheras for over 20 years. Moving them around and actually moving them to a new house really helped as I was dividing them at the same time.

[@rdarrett3635]

Glad to hear this. Which variety?

[@SusanMiddleton1]

@@rdarrett3635 That particular one is Green Spice. I have not seen it for sale for years.

[@rdarrett3635]

@@SusanMiddleton1 I have that one! Oh my. I bought it two years ago. (Excited like a little kid.) ☺️

[@truthofthematter9409]

Yes, they love being moved and seperated.

[@lyndastevens9726]

Thanks, Jenny! I had no idea about re-planting when those trunks get that big!✝️🇱🇷

[@annapoole132]

Thank you Jenny!!! I too have Heucura and have battled this issue! Now I know what to do thanks to you!!!! 🤗 Blessings!!!

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

Yay! Glad I was able to help!

[@kaylac3367]

This was great! I have 2 large pots on my front porch that have a trio of heuchera in them. So this is very helpful when I need to repot them. I also have some in my landscape that pushed up so replanted them as you said and hopefully they will do much better. Thanks Jenny!

[@KenG557]

I love Heucheras, and I really love that pot!

[@sammysworld5485]

I just planted a lemon love this Fall. Got two plants for the price of one by splitting them. I did that to several heuchera plants I purchased this year. They are the most easiest plant to do that with.

[@ms.kristin6909]

Thanks, Jenny! We can tell you’re an amazing Mama, teacher and gardener! So appreciate you talking through your process… and the multiple camera angles!!! We’re also in NC & I’ve now replaced soooo many annuals with heucura and need to keep them maintained. Merry CHRISTmas! 🎁🎄 🌟

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

Thank you so much! Merry Christmas ♥️

[@hulahoop58]

I agree. Such a great teacher

[@dianeb1963]

Oh my goodness! I have a heuchera that did that and I had no idea what was going on. Now I know I can replant it to take care of it. Thanks so much for doing this video❣️

[@jeanniecollier6763]

Thank you so much for this information. You are such a great source for all my gardening questions. Have a happy week.

[@maureengee364]

Great it must be happier now. Thank you so very much for sharing.🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

[@marilynkimbrel2743]

Can't wait to see this...also Can't believe all the major projects you two take on!

[@angietaylor5311]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge Jenny, forever thankful I found you ♥️

[@user-hu3nt8ew8o]

I use old large plastic soil bags for hot messes. I lay them down and work on top of them. I also sit on them in damp dirt.

[@marilynbaldwin2934]

I will be trying those in the spring thank you Jenny!

[@juliepuhr9806]

A follow up video I look forward too! Thanks. Enjoyed this

[@LabNYorkie]

I'm so glad I found your video. At my old house, I had a beautiful garden that I planted and tended to alone. Surprisingly, I had no failures and the plants and 2 Japanese maples thrived. At my new house, the soil is awful and there are landscapers (there's an HOA so I can't tell them to not do my lawn). This is why I started using planters. During the summer, I searched for colorful plants that are safe for dogs and I came across Heuchera. I repotted them and they did really well. All of a sudden, a few weeks ago, they looked to be dying. A few days ago, I added more soil, miraclegro and moved them to a place with more sunlight. I'm hoping that they'll again do well. I had no idea that plants could push up out of the soil.

[@RevAcres01]

Jenny thanks! Had no idea heurcheras lift makes total sense - great tip.

[@LC.1990]

Fascinating! I planted 4 of the dark purple ones this year. Thank you for teaching me about them!!!!!!

[@marisolbrunk5303]

Thank you Jenny for this great informative video. I’ll for sure will be incorporating Land and Sea in all my containers the start of planting season. Great info on the Heucheras as well as I’ve grown to love these plants for their great leaf varieties and colors! Now I know to replant them as they grow better for me in containers as well! 🥰👏🏻

[@SteveL2012]

I had this same problem with heucheras in the ground in my Western Washington zone 7a garden. In late winter, I’d find many of them almost resting on top of the soil. I threw a few away before just trying to replant them-the latter worked well by adding some new planting mix and plantone in the hole. No more lost heucheras anymore!

[@mollypitcher9380]

Thanks!

[@mariannerayo8608]

Thank you for this. I have several heucheras that had long stems. We had landscaping done and they had to be dug up. Before replanting, I amended the soil well and then just planted them deeper so that the stems were covered. I didn't know until watching your video that this was acceptable. Everything else I've seen talks about cutting the stems at the base and repotting/replanting. I didn't want to do that and start from scratch. Thanks, again; very helpful.

[@candyt7083]

Thank you so much Jenny! I love heucheras, but struggle with keeping them going....now I can try this and hopefully they will thrive!

[@marisolbrunk5303]

Thank you Jenny for this great informative video. I’ll for sure will be incorporating Land and Sea in all my containers the start of planting season. Great info on the Heucheras as well as I’ve grown to love this pant for its great leaf varieties and colors! Now I know to replant them as they grow better for me in containers as well! 🥰👏🏻

[@jasminelouisefarrall]

Heucheras are one of my favourites Jenny xx

[@lindabenford7134]

Great information! I’ll try this next spring ☺️

[@joannebory1941]

Hi, Jenny I always enjoy to watch your show especially very nice to hear your voice when you are talking so pro so clear Crystal like music in my ear 👌👍♥️💋

[@thelavendernoir8307]

Thanks for the tips!! I'll def add compost to the bottom of my pot.

[@jennifermcduffie6889]

Very helpful information!

[@wendycummings]

Thank u sooo much! Very helpful

[@lindabaker4038]

So glad you explained about the foliage over the winter, Jenny! I just planted some heucheras and had no idea what to expect! Also will know what to do if they heave! 😀😀

[@kbechtel33]

This was very helpful information and your demonstrations are so helpful.

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

Fantastic! Glad it was helpful 🤗

[@lorimartinez7555]

Thank you for this video. I planted two huechacaras fin containers this past summer. I had no idea that I would ever have to replant them in their same container. I'm always learning with Creekside.

[@BLUETVTIENVLOG]

Your video is amazing, waiting for the next video

[@dianegentry3255]

I agree. Much better luck with them growing in pots! I have one huge one but have lost others. This was a very helpful video Jenny, thank you and Merry Christmas!

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

So glad! Merry Christmas 💚♥️

[@sunnyday7869]

I may get a pretty pot & plant a heuchera in it next spring here in Tennessee.🌱 Thanks for showing me how to care for it!🐞🥰👋🏼

[@meganhuge1]

Great tip about the water bottles

[@arelettebreaux938]

Another good one, Jenny!

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

Thanks!

[@trace9657]

I am going to try some of these next year.

[@lilwilliams7277]

Great video Jenny. I love the pot 😍

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

Thanks!

[@margiemcpeak9304]

I ❤ heucheras‼Hellebores, heucheras & hydrangeas are all my favorites! Now I know why I lost 3 of mine.

[@barbarawall6349]

Thank you so much

[@stephaniesharkey3538]

Thanks Jenny! I do mostly container gardening here in N GA!

[@laurakb196]

I have several, from 4 years to I don’t even know and just found out this year why they look so crummy. I went hard core on many of them and broke the individual trunks off and replanted. The ones in pots are the newer ones and I divided and placed fresh soil over the long stems/trunks. I noticed one of the trunks I potted looks great and is blooming! I live in the Pacific Northwest and they do grow fantastically easy here. No one wanted any so I ended up throwing some away and others still need more dividing and replanting. Thank you for this video since it shows what I should have done instead of (whoops) what I’d did.

[@MOJUSA]

Nice video sharing friend

[@marilynmcgillick2931]

Great instructional for container huchera! I have quite a few in containers here in the northeast zone 6b that need this. I think, though, it's too late to do this. I will wait until early spring and just protect them over the winter.

[@greenway7316]

Nice information 👌👌

[@JWHealing]

Thanks for this video. Knowing that all heucheras lift themselves out of the soil answers a bit question I had. I thought it was just mine. I am going to divide and replant mine more deeply today!

[@mardisteffenhagen9405]

O.k. I am going to give it a shot !!!

[@Juju1212012]

Loving that garden knife though!

[@brendavanvleet8181]

So Glad I saw this! Was starting to blame the voles and moles again. I had given up on Hostas and have been having good success with the heucheras, but they have been looking a little sad, now i know why! I still have a problem with the little critters but not as bad as I had thought! live here in the piedmont NC

[@dede8250]

My husband thought of the perfect name for Heucheras "the Suicide Plant", because it throws itself out of the soil. :)

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

😂😂😂😂

[@tracymiller1054]

Thanks Jenny! Great video - I will be putting this tip to good use in the spring. I went overboard with heuchera's this year (is that possible??? I had a rainbow of foliage all summer - gorgeous). I have seen this happen with my older plants and now I know what to do to help them look their best

[@mkitchens8163]

Thanks for this video as my heucheras struggled this summer. I did transplant one at the end of summer and it is doing well. There's another that's still got a couple of leaves and apparently clinging to life, and I'm going to dig it up and put it in a container. I've had to reassess my shade garden this summer as the trees have really grown in the 6 years we've lived in this house and the roots are reaching further into my shade beds. I don't find my tiarellas have the "heaving" problem and they continue to spread, but not aggressively.

[@DCT14]

Jenny, great information and video; but what really caught my attention is that adorable birdhouse to your right (left of the screen). Do you sell those at the garden center? And if so, would you ship? So cute 🥰 .

[@fabricandflowers83]

One of my favorite plants. Iv wanted to put a few in pots but wasn’t sure how long I could keep them in there.

[@glendapeters8899]

I have the same issue with heuchera. I thought maybe it was our clay soil. They seem to do better for me in pots. It will be interesting to see how yours are doing in the spring. Thanks for the video!

[@canuckviolet3322]

I had never been able to grow heuchera either; when planted in containers, lo and behold they took off! I think the real issue is drainage. As soon as they are in a place that drains well they recover dramatically from the sad little things they were in the beds.

[@canuckviolet3322]

Actually, instead of 'real issue', I should say another major issue esp. with the clay soil. I'm in 7b, we get some heaving with cold temps but not a lot. I've replanted more than once and it didn't solve my problem. Containers with good free-draining soil did. That said, any plant will eventually outgrow it's space.

[@cgzone8]

Jenny, that's exactly what's happening to my huecheras. Hurray! cgzone8

[@melissamybubbles6139]

I'm in Colorado zone 5b. I have two heuchera colors, dark purple and lime green. The dark purple looked miserable in full sun. In light shade they're doing wonderfully, large and lush. The lime green were planted in full sun in pink rock in the south-east corner of the yard. They're big but the edges of their leaves are always burnt to a crisp. I didn't put them there. The landscaper put them there before I knew anything about gardening. Now I want to move the lime heucheras to the shady corner and put butterfly weed in their old spot. None of mine are in containers, but it's good to know that if I ever live in the south, containers are my heucheras' friends.

[@creativelady7]

Just what I was looking for on caring for heucheras! Also....please tell me how you manage the areas of your property that are under the old growth Evergreen trees! I am in NW Oregon and struggle all year long with the mess they make below, especially after rain and winds! It is a constant fight against the mess, and we cannot afford to have them cut down. Thanks so much!

[@elmaelmar2761]

Good to know!! I love that planter to!! What is that tree in the blue planter called?? I love it!! 💕💕🌸

[@debbiemacy3840]

Hi Jenny! I’m in NC with our good old red clay soil. These are one of my favorites. I do have them in the landscape. Can I dig them up amend the soil and replant them now? Or do I have to wait until spring? I would love to get a head start on them. I usually wait until spring. Which we all know is busy busy. Thanks for sharing.

[@gwenyates5428]

Do you ever use window screen cloth to cover the hole in your planters?

[@crankychef]

Would love some ideas for plants for year round pots in the south. Evergreens, small shrubs etc.

[@jellee6305]

Many thanks for the great tip on caring for my heucheras. I'm anxious to give it a try. Can you also tell me the make of your garden wagon and where I can purchase one?

[@Edu_Kate]

I have had trouble growing heuchera or heucherella in my sandy soil, zone 4b. One favorite variety I planted among my hosta garden was 'Sweet Tea' and I made the mistake of cutting off the scrappy foliage in the fall. Two of the three died and the survivor was puny. This year I replaced them, but neglected to water them during our exceptionally dry summer and they died. Third time's the charm? I mulched them with Land & Sea and left the foliage alone this fall. 🤞

[@MilesSherry]

I have much better success planting Heuchera in containers too. I’m also mildly obsessed with my Hori Hori knife 😊

[@rdarrett3635]

I really need to get one.

[@marthaburge5209]

I love that pot!!! Where can I get one??

[@greenrockgarden2851]

🤔I watched a video this past week. I can’t remember who’s video it was. They took their knife to divide their Heuchera into different plants.

[@carollevine9815]

I am78 years old and digging up my heucheras is quite a chore for me. Would I be able to just add compost to the tops?

[@phillygrl7898]

I wondered why they were dying off. I buy them every spring. Now if you can help me with my Lenten rose?

[@bethhc]

This was a very helpful video! I’ve planted a few hookers this year, both in pots and in my garden. Is it possible to put the Land and Sea compost around the plant and scratch it in or does it have to be in the bottom of the pot? Thank you in advance!🥰

[@nihilisticsoup2919]

I tried to plant hookers too once, never sprouted. I never gave much of a f*** and neither did it unfortunately

[@thistooiseds3215]

In the Landscspe can you just add soil on top?

[@BridgetWeedon]

Question…and maybe I missed it. Why did you empty out the old soil and not just add to it? I’m guessing you want to add back good nutrients by adding new soil?

[@JWHealing]

I asked myself that same question. I think it has to do with when you own your own garden center and have easy access to lots of purchased items it's just simpler. In in ground gardening you don't throw out soil so I would think w/the right know how potting soil can be revitalized w/amendments too.....I would guess some alfalfa meal and bone meal but she is already adding biotone so perhaps just alfalfa meal and maybe a little composted chicken manure or compost.

[@Lisa-gs9ke]

Jenny, I live near Charleston South Carolina. Would live to create an alleyway garden on the south side of my home. What plants could I use? I'm zone 8 to 9.

[@PHILIPPEEve]

Heuchera 🥀Ou "Le Désespoir Du Peintre" 😉🥀

[@nancybenson4488]

What brand of Hori Hori knife do you use? I am a beginning gardener and need to buy some tools.

[@Peleski]

I would have broken it up and planted 3 contrasting colours in that pot.

[@avon1950]

Ginny - where did you purchase your tool (hori hori) from?

[@tinablum9089]

Do you have a link for that hori hori knife?

[@kristaself126]

I’ve had my heucheras in a coco liner all summer. Would it be better on the roots to transplant to a planter now?

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

It would. That way their roots are more protected & insulated during the winter.

[@dorindajenkins7825]

👋😃

[@vickiejones7085]

Will that pot stay out during the winter, and if so how do you help preventing it from cracking? I’m in zone 7 and that would probably crack in my area.

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

It has sat there for 4 years and done great! No crack in sight & I don’t do anything special to it.

[@dianamccarthy5586]

Hi Jenny, just wondering if it would be good to use compost in the bottom of indoor plant pots or should compost be used strictly outside?

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

You can use this method in both indoor & outdoor plantings 😊

[@judithgash1845]

What time of year is best to separate the plants.❓️❓️❓️❓️❓️❓️

[@suzieschwartz8239]

I have given up on them. I have NO luck at all with them......here in Virginia.

[@mariay.279]

Hi.

[@matthewsegal2175]

How often do you change the soil in your containers ?

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

Every year

[@lauracamper3425]

What is that tree in the blue pot next to you? How long can it live in a pot?

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

It is a Dwarf Horstmann Blue Atlas Cedar

[@lauracamper3425]

@@GardeningwithCreekside It's beautiful. 😍

[@leylamyers2493]

I thought you were going to divide it into smaller plants?

[@alisamartin5491]

I did not know that land and sea has worms in it..😁

[@sarahhayhurst9944]

I'm new to gardening so could you explain to me why you're adding fertilizer going into winter, or is that just because the plant doesn't become fully dormant? I find all this stuff so confusing. 🤔

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

I used Bio-tone fertilizer which is a starter fertilizer which is specifically for healthy root growth. I always use Bio-tone when planting perennials, shrubs, and trees so that they grow a strong root system which will ensure a beautiful & healthy plant up top.

[@sarahhayhurst9944]

@@GardeningwithCreekside Thank you, Jenny. That clears things up for me.

[@juliedorey5254]

My OCD would have me picking out every single pine needle and clipping off all the dead foliage 🤭😂

[@GardeningwithCreekside]

I totally understand! 😂