How to grow a Weigela in a pot?

Varieties suitable for pot cultivation

The Classic

The distinctive feature of Weigela ‘All Summer Red’ lies in its very repeat flowering, which spans from April to September. The bright red colour of its flowers and the medium green of its leaves are typical of Weigela. The compact and dense habit of this bush, which reaches 1 m in height and the same in width at maturity, makes it an ideal candidate for a pot on a terrace.

Weigela ‘All Summer Red’

The Small Varieties

The Weigela florida ‘Picobella Rosa’ ®, in addition to its very long repeat flowering from May to October, has a significant advantage for small spaces: its very compact size. Reaching 40 cm in height and 60 cm in width, it is ideal in a pot on small balconies.

The Weigela ‘All Summer Peach’ has a slightly less compact habit than the previous one, with a spread of 80 cm in all directions at maturity. Its flowering, long and repeat flowering from April to September, displays soft tones of pink with hints of apricot.

Weigela ‘All Summer Peach’

The Original Foliage

The Weigela florida ‘Minor Black’ is very interesting for small spaces due to its small size, reaching 60 cm in all directions at maturity. Its purple leaves, decorative until autumn, frame its pink flowers that appear in May and June, and occasionally in September.

Here are 3 slightly larger varieties, reaching between 1.25 m and 1.5 m in height, with interesting foliage that can be planted in a large pot on the terrace:

• The Weigela ‘Wings of Fire’ has pink flowers in May and June, and the colour of its leaves changes throughout the year. Green in spring, they quickly take on a bronze hue, then dark red, before displaying a magnificent autumn colour.
• The Weigela florida ‘Nana Variegata’ features variegated foliage, green edged with cream white. Its pale to dark pink flowers are repeat flowering, in May and June, then in September and October.
• The Weigela florida ‘Ebony and Ivory’ will bring a lot of elegance to your terrace, with its very purple foliage that contrasts beautifully with its white flowers in May and June.

Weigela florida ‘Minor Black’ (photo Denolf) and Weigela ‘Ebony and Ivory’

What exposure does Weigela require?

It appreciates moderately sunny exposures. Indeed, really arid situations do not suit it. On a terrace, this can happen quickly. It also tolerates winds, as long as they are not drying. Partial shade will also suit it, as it enjoys cool soils.

Type of pot and substrate

It is important to know that, even if you choose a low-growing variety that can be grown in a pot, the pot must still be of a considerable size to ensure that the volume of soil necessary for root development is sufficient.

Choose a container with a minimum depth of 50 cm and at least the same diameter. Don’t forget the drainage hole, which is essential to prevent the bush from sitting in water.

What soil for a Weigela in a pot?

Weigela needs soil rich in humus and not too dry. Use a mix of garden soil, potting soil or compost (2/3) and coarse sand (1/3) or special flowering bush potting soil.

Large diameter terracotta pots

When and how to plant a Weigela in a pot?

When to plant?

For planting, as with most trees and bushes, we recommend tackling it in autumn, in October or November, outside of frost periods. Planting is more effective if the soil is still warm.

That said, it is possible to plant in spring, in March and April, provided you can water it regularly during the first year, especially during the following summer. However, you must avoid dry periods at all costs, as they could be fatal to young plants.

How to plant?

• Before planting, we recommend thoroughly moistening the root ball, for example by submerging the pot of your Weigelia in a basin for 15 minutes;
• At the bottom of the container intended for the bush, add clay balls to ensure good drainage;
• Place your bush on a layer of substrate, ensuring that the collar is level (it should not be buried), then fill in around it;
• Firm the soil and water generously;
• Mulch.

Watering and fertilising

Watering

Water the Weigela in a pot regularly to ensure the substrate does not dry out. Remember that, not being in the ground, the roots of the bush will not be able to reach water deep down. Check with your finger that the soil in the pot remains cool. It should be moist throughout without being waterlogged. During summer, you will need to provide it with a watering can of water once a week, perhaps twice if it is very dry. For the rest of the year, rain is usually sufficient to keep the soil fresh.

Fertiliser

At the beginning of the season, that is to say, in spring, add well-decomposed compost or manure, which will nourish the bush throughout the season and improve flowering. The addition of fertiliser is not necessary.

Feel free to add a layer of RCW (ramial chipped wood) on the surface to help keep the soil moist. Keep in mind that a potted plant gets thirsty more quickly than a plant in the ground.

In autumn, you can collect fallen leaves to mulch around the base of the plant. This will protect it from the cold, and the decomposing leaves will turn into humus, which will in turn nourish the plant and improve the next flowering.

Care and Repotting

Pruning

Just after flowering, around July/August, prune the flowering parts by 2/3. Don’t hesitate to aerate the centre of the bush and remove any crossing branches. Take the opportunity to remove old branches to rejuvenate it.

Repotting

As long as the size of the plant allows, repot it every two years on average. This operation should be carried out preferably at the beginning of spring. It allows you to place the Weigela in a larger diameter pot for better root development and also to renew the soil. After a certain size, this becomes difficult to achieve. In this case, perform a top dressing: scrape off as much of the surface compost as possible, without touching the roots, and replace it with new compost.