Butterfly bushes and bee plants - Page 5

Location & care

The butterfly bush is easy to look after. It likes warmth, so place it in full sun or half shade. We recommend planting the butterfly bush in well-drained and slightly moist soil, but the shrub can handle different soil types so it will also do well in drier soil. You can plant the butterfly bush throughout the year, as long as the ground is not frozen. In spring, the plant will start to grow slowly, so you can boost it by giving it some plant food. This will benefit growth and flowering. The right nutrition and potting soil can also make the plant stronger and more resistant to diseases and infestations. The Buddleia is sometimes affected by aphids, especially in new shoots, so tackle these invaders immediately with organic pesticides to keep your plant and the soil healthy.
The butterfly bush is also very low-maintenance, but does not like having wet roots. If the shrub is in a pot, then water it once a week. In the open ground, the butterfly bush doesn't need any extra water at all as rainwater is enough for it to grow well. Excess water can lead to root rot and will eventually kill the plant.

Pruning means blooming

Pruning the butterfly bush is very important to keep it full and in flower. Prune the ornamental shrub hardest in spring by cutting away the old branches to about 30 to 50 centimetres above the ground. This will ensure that the plant rejuvenates itself and that new branches with fresh flowers will grow. Between June and September, you will be rewarded with many spikes of fantastic red, purple, blue or white flowers. In June, you can prune the tops of the shrub again, but only remove the very ends of the branches at this time of the year. The Buddleia will then produce flowers at the end of each branch, creating an ornamental shrub that is full and beautiful. During the summer, deadhead spent flowers continuously to ensure that the shrub blooms for as long as possible. This will stimulate it to produce new flowers in just a few weeks.

Buying butterfly bushes

The butterfly bush is a cheerful and colourful addition to any garden and will attract butterflies and bees so your garden is always full of life. Bees and butterflies protect your garden by eating harmful insects and also pollinate your plants and flower bulbs, helping nature to reproduce. If you would you like to buy a butterfly bush, then take a look at Bakker's new range! Will you choose red, purple, pink, blue or white variety, or mix them together with our butterfly bush 'Tricolor'? The butterfly bush comes in different pot sizes—from 10 to 19 centimetres—and grows from 1 metre to approximately 2.5 metres high. Order your favourite now at Bakker.com.