Care of Purple Bell Heather

Sunlight

• Most varieties of heather typically grow in heaths, which are wastelands where sunlight is a regular feature, soil is poor and dryness is standard. If you are growing purple bell heather, this may lead you to think it is fine to plant it in full sunlight. Although the plant is quite tolerant of sunny conditions, it typically does better with at least a little bit of shade throughout the day. The plant blooms during the summer, so right when that beauty is starting to come through, it would be a shame to have it start wilting. To avoid a problem with heat and plant death, plant your purple bell heather in a flower bed that receives partial shading from trees.

Irrigation

• As with sunlight issues, it is tempting to think that since heather grows in heath environments where there is little rain, it doesn't need much watering. This is not the case, especially with purple bell heather. Ideally, you need to water your purple bell heather plants twice a day, in the morning and at the end of the day. You should avoid overwatering, which can tax the root system and open the door to diseases, but you do want to make sure all surrounding soil is damp. Irrigation is especially important during those first months of plant development when the roots are still maturing.

Soil and Fertilizer

• Purple bell heather should be planted in soil that drains very well -- this goes back to the problem of overwatering -- and good soil should be supplemented with fertilizer. A good fertilizer will make sure that your plant grows to be as healthy as possible. In general, you should look for a fertilizer that has a high level of acidity. Fertilizer should be used at the first planting of purple bell heather, and, depending on the brand, you may need to add more fertilizer as directed at particular checkpoints throughout the summer.

Other Considerations

• For the most part, if you figure sunlight, irrigation, soil type and fertilizer into your purple bell heather care regimen, you should be seeing healthy, blooming plants in the early summer. There are, however, a few additional tips that may help in growing bell heather. Use mulch in the soil surrounding your purple bell heather when you plant it and through the first few months of its development to see better growth. Also, get into the practice of pruning these plants. As soon as the plants begin to get larger, look through them periodically to find any stems or flowers that look damaged or show signs of diseases or pests. Cutting these parts back may help you avoid future problems.