Never heard of that: astilbe blooming that early, I mean. Come on, Pauline, you're pullin' our legs. What is it really?

Or maybe you are talking about last year. Still never heard of it for astilbe. However, a quick swipe of spray glitter paint might be interesting.

Who said that?

No it isn't blooming now, but I want to be ready for it when it does.

I WILL NOT use spray glittter. Would nail polish work?

I remember hearing that gold, green and red spray paint applied late in the fall to the spent flower stalks, look lovely as holiday yard decorations for the winter...... Who would do that to all those lovely seeds!!?!!
Hey- if they can "paint" trees - why not astilbe?!
I have seen plants watered with food coloring- the woody ones look quite lovely when sliced into sections for buttons and jewelry and such......
Do you suppose that is why Miracle grow is soooooo blue?

Julie, Do you use the food colored stalks for your jewelry?

Oh dear me I have never used Miracle grow, with a name like that I figure something must be wrong with it.

I wonder if Michael's has artificial astilbie on sale this week.

Nah- I don't have the time- although I did see some jewelry made from saplings up on the north shore many years ago that realy must have struck a cord- as I have remembered it all these years-
Hey Pauline- maybe Very BLUE Miracle Grow is what your astilbe need! I bet they "color up" then......

Think I would get blue astilbe?

Hi Pauline,
What color were your astilbe supposed to be....a lot of the colors seem to be kind of fadey and paleish (those are too words) If you bought something that was supposed to be bright, maybe it was mislabeled. Im just throwing in my two cents worth because I can't think of too many things sadder than a person agonizing over how to make a pale pink astilbe into a bright pink one if it never wert. (is too a word)
And can we please stop talking about spray painting flowers now.....I think Im allergic to artifice (is too a word)

Yes I was just going to ask for a serious answer. They were touted as being bright colors, now a get a cross between pale green and white. I am going to give them some food and if they don't give me color this year move them for next year. Or maybe move them this year. The green dose look very nice in the fern garden. If I move them I will have more room for ferns!

Pauline

Sorry there dearie-
The only thing I know of to color up faded plants is sunshine.
I have purchased mislabeled plants- and have gotton unsusual looking sports on occasion-

Well if blue Miracle-Gro could make it blue, I think half the cultured flora in people's yards would be blue. Thank goodness it ain't so. And fertilizer may have the opposite effect for coloring up, or may not. If the case in question is otherwise healthy, I don't think anything is going to change its tune. If it were me, I'd chuck the obstinate bugger.

Actually, I doubt it is obstinate. I'll bet you never got what you were supposed to in the first place.

Rick

Ahh I took a nap and my sense of humor is back. I don't even remember where I got them, but I won't shop there again so there too.

No paint, either I think of them as nice green plants or I replace them.

Pauline

Hmmm, but come to think of it, the straggley (is too a word) "white" jacobs ladders that I saved from a date with dumpster destiny, have turned out to be a lovely soft lavender blue. This without even the slightest hint of miracle grow. I daresay they were mislabeled. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.