Heather - planting and maintenance

Plant guide

Heather can withstand the entire winter outdoors and helps add color to everything from patios, balconies, and porch steps. If you take care of the heather properly, it will stay beautiful throughout the season. Learn more about care and different types of heather here!

The heather plant comes in several colors and brings a splash of color to the autumn where it stands in pots and flower beds. There are different types of heather. The hardiness varies between different varieties. Some of the most hardy varieties of heather are Calluna and Garden Girls. However, the annual variety Erica does not tolerate frost. Heather looks beautiful both on its own and in mixed plantings. Many choose to freshen up their entrance by planting heather, kale, and other autumn plants together in pots.

All Nature - pots made from sunflower seed shells

Sustainability is important to us at Plantagen. That is why we sell the majority of our heather in pots made of sunflower seed shells - as part of reducing the use of plastic. These pots also have several benefits for you as a gardening enthusiast: The plant can be planted directly into the ground with the pot still on - where it will then break down. If you still want to remove the pot before planting, it can be easily composted.

A heather blooming shrub

Garden Girls, mentioned above, is a hardy, bud-flowering heather. The flowers never fully bloom, but its many buds give the impression that the plant is flowering all the time. The heather is beautiful throughout the winter if watered when it is above freezing outside.

Care of heather during autumn and winter

It is easy to think that heather can take care of itself, as it is so easy to grow and hardy in cold temperatures. But if you forget to water the plant, it can quickly wither. So make sure to follow care instructions to keep your heather plantings beautiful throughout the season:

Planting outdoors and in pots. Plant heather in acidic and well-drained soil. Choose rhododendron soil that is low in calcium and has a low pH value.

Location. Heather prefers a bright and sunny spot in the garden, which allows it to bloom longer.

Watering. Heather is a relatively thirsty plant that likes to be in moist soil. It is sensitive to drying out and will quickly turn brown if you forget to water it. Water approximately once a week as long as it is above freezing outdoors.

If you repot your heather in a larger pot than the one you bought it in - you give it the opportunity to absorb even more water. This increases the chances that the plant will survive the entire winter.

A still life of plants in autumn

Would you like to create a beautiful fall planting in pots and window boxes? Then you can combine your heather with other fall plants such as ornamental cabbage, ivy, autumn asters, cyclamen, and silver vine. A tip is also to decorate with reeds, pine branches, and pine cones. This will give your fall planting a cozy and welcoming impression.

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Plant guide