Anemones, autumn anemones, anemones – planting and care

The anemone plant genus includes both bulbous plants and perennials. There are some differences in planting, care and propagation, so it’s important to know what type of crop you’re looking at. Most anemones belong to the tuber family, such as the ray anemone, the wood anemone or the garden anemone. They bloom in early spring, sometimes as early as March or April, and grow to an average height of around 20 centimeters.

The autumn anemone is one of the well-known perennial plants of the anemone. It is popular in our gardens because of its bushy shape and variety of flower colors. It forms taproots, flowers from August to October and is often much larger than the early bloomers: some species form inflorescences up to 1.5 meters high.

As a rule of thumb, if the plants are relatively small and bloom in the spring, there is a high probability that they are tuberous. If the plant is significantly larger than 50 centimeters and does not flower until August, it will count among the autumn anemones, the perennial plants. If you want to be absolutely sure, you have to watch out for tubers on the roots when planting. These do not look like flower bulbs, but are usually dark brown to black in color and have a rather irregular shape.

location

The anemone thanks the right choice of location with long-lasting and intensive flowers. Anemones thrive best in light semi-shade. Sunny locations are also possible. If the plants are in semi-shade, the flowers will be somewhat more limited, otherwise no disadvantages are to be expected. Only placements in the shade under dense treetops do not like anemones at all.

• Humus and nutrient-rich soil, also preferably slightly loamy
• Sunny to semi-shady
• Loose, moist topsoil: They do not like compacted soils
• Protected from weather extremes like cold winds
• Gladly under translucent shrubs, deciduous trees or on walls
• Slightly acidic to slightly calcareous soil, pH between 6.5 and 7.5
• Unfavorable: under conifers (pH value in the soil too low)

fertilizing and watering

In general, anemones can be classified as easy to care for if the location and nutrient supply are right. However, they do not like extreme dryness or waterlogging. In principle, the sunnier the location of an anemone in the garden, the larger and more willing it will be to bloom, but then it will need more water. Otherwise, the maintenance effort is limited:

• Water requirement: medium
• Water frequently in sunny locations.
• Water in semi-shade only when dry.
• Best with the shower
• Especially for young plants: fertilize in the spring with hummus or compost
• During the flowering period: Organic long-term fertilizer such as horn shavings
• Always keep the root area loose, weed-free and airy.
• Be careful not to damage roots when raking!

planting tubers

Anemones look best when they are planted in clumps of at least five plants. When planting anemones, a distinction must be made between tuber types and perennials. Early-flowering anemone species are often commercially available as tubers (similar to flower bulbs).

• Plant tubers in the fall.
• Before planting: soak tubers in water for about 24 hours and allow to swell.
• Planting depth about five centimeters.
• Planting distance: half the growth width (depending on the species about 15 to 25 centimetres).
• Cover loosely with soil.
• Pour lightly.
• Cover the ground with fall leaves or straw.
• Always keep the soil loose and moist.

plant perennials

In contrast to the tuberous plants, autumn anemones are sold as perennials in nurseries, hardware stores or tree nurseries as plants in pots with soil. If you order an autumn anemone by mail order, you may be surprised that you don’t get a plant, but a few pieces of roots. These are the so-called root cuttings or root cuts.

• Always plant perennials in late spring or early summer.
• As a plant: remove from the pot and place in loose soil enriched with compost.
• As a root cut: Insert about five centimeters deep into loose soil.
• If the direction of growth is not clear (this is usually the case): Place horizontally in the ground.
• A root piece becomes a plant, so don’t put all the pieces in one hole.
• Cover carefully with loose soil.
• Autumn anemones do not like root pressure.
• Ensure sufficient distance to trees.
• Planting distance: half the growth width (depending on the variety 20 to 50 centimetres).
• Water well and keep soil slightly moist.
• Planting in spring allows for good sprouting and growth.
• After a short time they form the first leaves and flowers.

pot plants

Anemones can be planted in groups in the bed or find their place in a bucket. They make a beautiful picture anywhere. In the bucket they need sufficient watering in summer. To protect against waterlogging, a drainage made of pebbles or expanded clay should be filled in the lower area of ​​the pot. Leaves should not be cut until they are wilted or dry. At the end of the growth period, the anemone stores all the important nutrients in its roots so that it can sprout again in spring. If the leaves are cut early, this storage cannot take place and the anemone is too weak to form new shoots next year. In winter it should then be stored in a frost-free place at about 5-10 degrees. This can be dark,

Propagation of tuberous plants

Most anemones are self-seeding unless the flower spikes are cut off after they have faded. A simple and fast propagation is also possible through the rhizomes:

• Offshoots with smaller tubers form on the main tuber.
• Preferred time for propagation: autumn
• Carefully dig out the side bulbs and cut off with a knife or sharp scissors.
• Pay attention to the direction of growth as much as possible.
• At the new location, dig about five centimeters deep in the same direction of growth.
• casting
• Apply winter protection.
• If the tuber is not planted directly: Store dry in a box with straw or sawdust.

Propagation of perennials by division

In contrast to the tuberous plants, autumn anemones form taproots and usually do not sow themselves. Cultivation from seeds is possible in principle, but is expensive. That is why every 3-4 years the roots of a plant are divided:

• Only older, strong plants are suitable
• If plants get too big: division is absolutely necessary
• Carefully expose roots in spring.
• Digging is very difficult or impossible because of the taproots.
• Divide the root crust with a very sharp knife or spade.
• Leave the part that is more difficult to remove in the ground.
• Put the other part in a new place.
• The new plants are then again very keen to grow and bloom.
• Division is important, otherwise the plants will succumb.

Professional propagation by cuttings

Gardeners prefer to propagate the autumn anemone by cuttings from the roots, the so-called root cuttings or root cuttings. This type of propagation is easy, but probably very few gardeners have tried this method themselves.

• Cut root cuttings only when they are dormant.
• Best time: late autumn, frost-free
• Choose a strong mother plant.
• Expose roots carefully.
• Choose strong roots (about an inch or two in diameter)
• Cut off the mother plant with a very sharp, clean knife.
• Pay attention to the direction of growth.
• Cut long root pieces into pieces about four inches long.
• Marking at the bottom by bevel cut.
• Half fill an airy wooden box with substrate.
• Suitable substrates are: potting soil or humus-rich garden soil mixed with sand.
• Insert into the substrate with the slanted side down.
• If you forgot to cut diagonally or the direction of growth is no longer visible: insert horizontally.
• Cover root cuts completely with substrate.
• Press lightly and pour carefully.
• Keep cool, dark but frost-free.
• The first leaves will grow next spring.
• With sufficient rooting: Continue cultivation in pots.
• Plant outdoors from around the end of May to June.

To cut

Anemone species that bloom in spring are capable of self-seeding. If this effect is desired, the flowering shoots should be left on the plant long after the flowers have faded. Since autumn anemones usually do not self-seed, the flower stalks can be cut off at the very bottom of the shoot. This leads to the formation of more flowers and thus extends the flowering period. Leaves must never be cut off before yellowing. Anemones collect nutrients until late autumn, which they store in the root system so that they can sprout again in spring and form flowers. If they lose their foliage early, they won’t be able to muster any strength for new shoots in the new year.

hibernate

Most anemone species are hardy. This means they can remain in the garden soil during the cold season. Only a few anemones need to be dug up in autumn and the bulbs stored in a dry and frost-free place (e.g. in a bed of sawdust or straw) before they can be planted back into the garden soil in spring. The garden anemone, which is very popular because of its noble, romantic flowers, is one of the species endangered by frost. The following applies to hardy varieties:

• For young plants, leave the foliage on the plant in winter.
• Cut off the flower stalks at the bottom.
• Leaves can be cut off from older plants.
• To do this, use a sharp, clean knife to cut the leaf stalks about a hand’s breadth above the ground.
• Pile up with autumn leaves, straw or hay for protection.
• Do not use conifer branches: they lower the pH value in the soil.
• Water lightly on frost-free sunny days.
• If not done in autumn: cut off leaves before they shoot in spring, this will make it easier for new shoots to appear.

diseases and pests

If anemones are too wet for a long time or if the soil is compacted, they begin to wither and rot. Likewise, older and tall plants can suddenly and with no apparent reason wilt in the middle of the year. The reason for this is usually that the roots are already too pronounced and no longer have enough space. A quick and effective help is dividing the plant. Otherwise anemones are very tough and long-lived and rarely fall ill.

• Holes or skeletal damage: caterpillars of moths – collect or spray with pesticides.
• Leaves turn brown and wither: anemone rust – cut off foliage, dispose of in household waste.
• Yellow spots on the leaves: leaflets – cut off foliage, dispose of it, change location.

Protect anemone inflorescences

Particular attention should be paid to the flowers of the larger anemones. Some late-blooming anemones grow very large. There are varieties whose inflorescences reach up to 1.5 meters in height. If there are many flowers on the stalk and it rains heavily, the water-heavy flowers become a burden on the delicate stalk. That’s why you should give them extra support. This is done, for example, with a wire bracket in the form of a semicircle or a perennial ring, which grasps several flower stalks at about 2/3 of the height and ensures that the inflorescences do not lie flat on the ground or even break off the next time it rains.

Conclusion
Perennials and bulbous plants like the anemone belong in every garden. While the bulbous variants are mostly small and bloom in spring to summer, the often tall autumn anemones provide a wonderful spectacle of flowers from August until late autumn. If the plants are in the lighter shaded area in the garden and find a nutrient-rich and moist but water-permeable soil, they are very durable and easy to care for. Almost all types of anemone are hardy, but need a thick layer of autumn leaves or straw to protect the roots.