Growing Heuchera in pots

Which heucheras to grow in pots?

Heucheras are easy to grow and all can be grown in pots.

You can plant heucheras of different colours in a large pot, arranging them around the edge so that the foliage cascades over the sides.

Play with the different colours of foliage and flowers, and combine, for example, a Heuchera sanguinea with its stunning red flowering, with a purple heuchera and another with variegated, green or silver foliage. When planting, be sure to space them 30 to 40 cm apart.

Where to plant a heuchera in a pot?

Plant it in shade or partial shade, as heucheras do not tolerate direct sunlight and high temperatures.

This advice should be qualified according to the species. Heucheras with light foliage are indeed more sensitive to sun and heat, while some heucheras with purple or dark foliage can cope with sunlight and drought.

When to plant a heuchera in a pot?

Plant the heuchera in a pot in autumn or spring.

How to grow a heuchera in a pot?

What type of pot?

A clay pot facilitates water evaporation and root aeration. However, you can also use other types of pots made of metal, wood, stone, or plastic, ensuring that the substrate remains well-drained.

What substrate?

Heucheras prefer a rich, humus-bearing, cool, and well-drained substrate. You can add a bit of compost to enrich the substrate.

Planting

• Before starting the planting, soak the root ball in a bucket of water for a few minutes
• Choose a pot with drainage holes that is wide and deep enough, 20 to 30 cm deep and at least as wide
• Place a drainage layer of sand, gravel, or clay balls at the bottom
• Cover with potting soil or garden soil mixed with a bit of sand and some compost
• Position the root ball in the pot so that the base of the stem is slightly buried
• Add substrate and lightly compact
• Water well

How to care for a heuchera in a pot?

Watering

• Water so that the soil does not dry out.
• Water regularly in summer and during periods of high heat.
• You can also mulch the substrate to prevent the soil from drying out and keep the base of the plant cool, while avoiding excess moisture that the plant does not appreciate either.

Fertiliser

Add compost in spring and autumn

Pruning

• In March-April, remove dry leaves.
• In summer, remove faded flowers as they appear to encourage further flowering.

Repotting / rejuvenation

After a few years, heucheras can become less attractive and develop a bare tuft and woody growth. To prevent this, you can rejuvenate the plants every 3 to 5 years. In autumn, collect the youngest plants and replant them, ensuring that the collar is level with the substrate. Firm the soil and water.

Diseases and pests

Heucheras can sometimes be attacked by the vine weevil. The larvae of this small beetle eat the roots, and the adults feed on the leaves. A chewed leaf edge may indicate the presence of this insect. To get rid of them, you can use nematodes, tiny invisible worms that consume the larvae. As a preventive measure, you can also mulch the plant’s substrate, which will hinder the laying of the vine weevil’s eggs.

Wintering

Heucheras are hardy and can withstand temperatures down to -15 to -20 degrees. Therefore, it is unnecessary to cover them with a winter fleece or bring them indoors, unless the temperature falls below their tolerance threshold.

At the end of winter, when the last frosts have passed, remember to remove the dried leaves.

Discover our sheet dedicated to heucheras as well as our complete collection of heucheras!

To avoid any failures, we recommend planting appropriately. Feel free to adopt our Plantfit web application!