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I planted Russian Sage last year in an area at the edge of the woods that gets afternoon sun. The soil back there is pretty terrible, but I amended it and they looked nice all last season. I've barely paid any attention to that area since the spring when I cut them back - their hardiness and tolerance for less-than-optimal growing conditions being one reason I planted them - and only recently realized how spindly and weak they look now, very little flowering and only a few stems that look healthy...I also planted some in the front of my house and those look pretty good, though they were only planted this season so I'm wondering if I'm heading for the same experience next year. The worst issue I can think of soil-wise might be inadequate drainage - the "soil" back there is densely packed clay, rocks, and roots mostly, so for everything I planted I added potting soil and compost to the hole. Perhaps I didn't improve a large enough area? I would love any opinions as to the likeliest culprits for struggling sage:
-Not enough water?
-Too much sun?
-Poor soil, even with the amendments?
-Poor drainage?
Anything jump out as being more likely than others? Thanks!
How much rain have you had this year? I know there are some parts of the country that have had lots of rain so if that's the case for you that could be the problem. They can handle poor soil and even some clay, but clay plus a lot of water would not be good for them. On the amendments--did you just amend the planting hole, or did you amend a larger area? If you have clay soil and you just amend the planting hole, you can end up with the "clay pot" effect where water ends up sitting in the bottom of the planting hole since it can't drain out quickly into the clay. If you amend over a larger area that helps avoid this effect. Or if you've had an exceptionally dry year and you haven't watered them at all that could be the problem--since you just planted them last year, they could still need a little more water than they will in the long term. As far as sun--how many hours are they getting? They like full sun so if they're only getting an hour or two in the afternoon that may not be enough. I've got some that are in the sun all day and my summers are hotter than yours so I doubt that it's too much sun.
We had a very rainy/damp June and most of July here in Massachusetts (rainiest June ever recorded here, I think) and with the bad soil back there that sounds like it may have been the culprit with the poor drainage. They get sun from noon til 6 or so. I did only amend the holes; I learned too late that what I should have done from the get-go is have that whole area cleared out and new soil brought in for a raised bed, instead of struggling plant by plant and hole by hole for the past two years...now I know!
It sounds like amending a larger area around where they are planted might be my best bet for the time being (before I accept the inevitability of starting over...). Should I wait a few weeks until the heat/sun (that we finally got about 3 weeks ago!) begins to dissipate, or is there really no reason to wait? And any tips on what would help with drainage - mix in some sand? More compost? Just new/better soil?
Depending on the type of soil, just amending a small area can actually create a bowl that collects water. Better to remove what you wish to keep and if you do not own a tiller/cultivator, rent one. You want good organic material, leaf mold. grass clippings etc and compost, homemade or purchased, and some fine ground bark mulch. Till these into the soil to a depth of at least 12 inches, add in some slow release nitrogen fertilizer to combat the loss caused as the grass decomposes and replant. Mulch the area well and water thoroughly. If you are adding sand, keep it to a minimum as the sand and clay mix to make a hardpan soil that holds water in heavy rains and sheds water in light rains...add no more than 1/8 to 1/4 total volume for best results.You can also bring in some fresh garden soil to help the overall friability of the planting area. I have learned from hard earned experience that there are no good shortcuts to bed preparation...Grin
