I have so many customers that grow Tradescantia (Spiderwort) in their gardens. It has finished doing it's pretty thing, and is looking rather sad and burnt by our extreme heat. My question is... what do you, my fellow gardeners do to maintain this plant? I have left it alone and let it wilt away, and I have also become aggressive with it and cut it way back (because the common variety tends to be a bit spready) I'd just like to know how others do maintenance on this plant. Thanks
Every year by late May/early June mine looks awful. No amount of watering will make it better, it's the heat. I cut it back almost to the ground and wait for cooler weather in fall. I have Tradescantia occidentalis (Prairie Spiderwort)
Spiderwort is a great little plant, but it's almost a weed here (pops up in the lawn, even had one try to grow in the chicken coop!). We just mow them down when they start looking yellowed and floppy.
Also "weed-like" here. They just get mowed down. I do have a patch in an old wheelbarrow that is doing quite well. I don't do a thing to it.
Thank you ladies. I guess I'm doing it right. They just look so beat up right now. I guess I won't feel so bad when I clean em up good, and get the messy looking foliage cut down. One customer has a variety that has a chartruse colored foliage. I really like those better, as they add a nice contrasting color. They also seem to stay in smaller clumps rather than sprawling out. I like those little flowers, but I have never grown them at my house.
Hi Kay, I have very different growing conditions (New England) & my tradescantia gets floppy after flowering too. I have them growing through a gridded growing hoop so they don't flop. They stay green all season here in New England. I am interested in your chartreuse one. It would be great for contrasting color.
