How to Plant Astilbe

Astilbe is a perennial with the common name False Spirea. Its foliage has a feathery appearance with flowers that can range from pink to purple in color. Astilbe is a common garden plant and is generally hardy in temperate climates.

• Organic compost


• Garden trowel


• Mulch


• General fertilizer

1. Obtain a variety of Astilbe that grows in your United States Department of Agriculture hardiness zone. Most varieties of this plant grow well in USDA hardiness zones 6 and up.


2. Select a planting site for Astilbe in full sun or partial shade, with rich soil. This plant grows especially well near ponds. Mix plenty of organic compost into the planting site several weeks before you plant Astilbe in the spring.


3. Dig a hole in the Astilbe planting site that is slightly larger than the plant's nursery container. Space the holes at least 8 inches apart, depending on the specific variety of Astilbe.


4. Fill the hole with water and remove the plant from its nursery container. Place the plant in the hole and fill in the hole with loose soil. Pat the soil down gently around the plant. Lay down a 2-inch layer of mulch around the Astilbe plant, ensuring that you don't cover the stems with mulch.


5. Water Astilbe with 2 inches of water per week, ensuring the soil remains moist throughout the growing season. Provide additional water if the plant shows any signs of wilting, especially while the plant is establishing its root system.


6. Apply a general fertilizer for the Astilbe plant when it begins growing in the spring. Apply an additional round of fertilizer every two months until the plant goes dormant in the fall.


7. Cut the dead foliage to the ground with pruning shears in early spring before the Astilbe begins to grow. Propagate Astilbe by division in the fall.