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Sedum Autumn Joy - Final Width?

14 years ago

I planted Sedum (Autumn Joy) last Fall along a walkway. They came up nicely this year, but I think I may have planted them too far apart. I was thinking that they would, over a season or two, "fill in" the area, and planted them about 18" apart. Right now they look like individual plants, each about 12 - 18" wide, instead of a "mass". Can I expect that they will fill in some next year or should I start moving them closer together to achieve the desired effect? Thanks, Amy

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Comments (9)

conniemcghee
14 years ago
I think they'll fill in. Mine are probably about 18" wide, maybe a little wider. Don't know how old mine are - they came with the house.
nana8
14 years ago
They are very easy to start from a cutting. Just take a few cuttings and stick them in the ground where you want a new plant, and give them a shot of water and they will start a new plant. very EZ
nana8
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I don't have that type of sedum, and i'm not sure what I have, but it seriously is indestructable. My father gave a few hunks to me a few years ago, and I left them sitting in plastic conatiners. They stayed that way, ignored, unearthed, for two years and still came back every year. I cut some hunks off, gave them to a neighbor, and they did fine. I FINALLY planted mine last summer, and they took off! I wouldn't worry :)
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From this one plant I have made many more. I trim a bit off in the spring and put the tips in moist soil, sometimes with rooting hormone but not always. The trick is keeping the soil moist until it roots. These are all from that original plant. They're at the bottom of my driveway where they get less water and usually are shorter. Because of overhanging trees they get less sun so sparser flowers, but they fill out a difficult area and look good. I'm having some luck with other sedums around my yard, but Autumn Joy seems the strongest so far. That's probably why it became common.
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Mary, First I would say relax you really can't do any harm to these guys. I have divided them by simply taking my shovel and cutting them in half right in place not disturbing the one half. I have also dug the entire clump up and cut the plant in half with a saw, replanting one half. I have also dug up and potted pieces of plant material for a swap forgot them under a shrub and re-discovered them three years later still happily growing and ready for this years swap. If your clumps are very large make certain your shovel has a sharp edge as it will be difficult to cut through. What other plants are you growing with your sedum?
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Seems like everyone is very busy, so autumn swap is cancelled. I will be at Brown childs Park on Farley Street just south of 287 bypass in Waxahachie on the 14th, was some of the things I already have potted up, hope I won't have to care for them all winter long LOL.
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mxk3 z5b_MI
14 years ago
Yes, they will in nicely :0)
hostaholic2 z 4, MN
14 years ago
Don't move them closer together, they will fill in just fine.
gottagarden
14 years ago
Mine are about 3 feet wide, so yours should fill in just fine next year, and probably be too crowded the year after ;-)
mrs.micki
14 years ago
I have one that we moved last year and did great.This year it started out great and than plopped over from the middle and started getting new growth.Would it be a good idea to split it and move to new location? Also how do I split it?Have never split anything other than hosta.Thanks for helping!
hostaholic2 z 4, MN
14 years ago
If it flopped over already this year after being moved last year, it makes me think perhaps your soil is to rich. Did you add a lot of compost or fertilize? They do better with a lean soil. Also if you had a lot of rain, it might cause them to flop. That said, when you;re ready to divide, just dig up the clump and cut or pull apart into pieces. Though I've occasionally done it in fall it's far easier in the spring when the plants are just breaking dormancy.
carrie630
14 years ago
I've posted this before - maybe you have read the following - but here's what i do to help with the flopping.

Around mid May - I cut all of my sedums in half and plant the snipped off stem right back into the dirt. That doubles the amount of sedums I have - By this time of year, both look exactly the same - with blooming flower heads - but - as a result, no flopping.

Hope that helps for next year...

Carrie
buyorsell888
14 years ago
Cutting them back by half in May really helps keep them compact.

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