Marianne's Response
How to care for coral bell
Hello Marianne! I’m so glad to find you again! I am having difficulty with my coral bell plant recently. It’s looking really puny in it’s container. Never had this before. I’ve not paid much attention to it – just watering as needed. Now it’s telling me something’s wrong. Possibly the plastic container – yes there is a drainage hole. The container sits on a plank in the middle of my raised garden. I’ve not given it any ‘food’ this year either. hmmmm
Posted by MemeSharon on June 19, 2016
Marianne's Response
I love coral bell and this shade perennial is related to heucheras - but it does love moist, rich soil to grow the best foliage. The pot may have soil that has been depleted of nutrients if it sat out all winter in the rain. Another possibility is the soil got too hot if there was no mulch on top of the soil and the pot sat in the sun. My last idea is that the drainage hole is blocked by the weight of the pot - so raise it up a bit to create an air gab - sliding plastic bottle caps under the pot is one way to encourage drainage. Make sure all potted plants get fed at least once a yearâjust a spoonful of Osmocote around the roots of every potted plant each spring. That is all the fertilizer a coral bell will need for the year.
Keep growing,
Marianne Binetti
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