Care of Blue Wonder Alpine Series Campanula

Growing Location

• Blue Wonder Alpine Series Campanula thrives in sun or partial shade. Plant it beneath the canopy of a tree where the sun's play between the foliage provides the ideal environment. If you live in a warmer region in the campanula's hardiness zones, provide the plant with shade in the afternoon. Gardeners in cool regions generally grow Blue Wonder in full sun. In nature the Alpine campanulas thrive in meadows, crevices and rocky areas of the European alps. Mimic these conditions and the Blue Wonder thrives.

Soil

• Soil drainage is one of the most important aspects of successfully growing the Blue Wonder. Prolonged wet soil, especially in winter, may kill it. Amend heavy soil at planting with 3 to 4 inches of sand or shredded bark. If the soil is particularly sluggish, grow the campanula in raised beds. Incorporate 7 cups of lime per 100 square feet of soil at planting. Use a spade to mix it into the soil for these lime-loving plants.

Moisture

• The European alps see scant rain during the summer months, so this little campanula produces a long taproot to deal with drought conditions. Unless the weather is particularly hot in the summer there is no reason to water the plant. When you do water, do so infrequently. Soak the soil to a depth of 10 inches when you water and allow it to dry out before watering again.

Fertilizer

• Because of its native environment in the rocky European alps, Blue Wonder Alpine Series Campanula doesn't require fertilizer and actually prefers poor soil. It does thrive in a lime environment, so aside from the lime added at planting, add lime to the soil every year, in fall. Follow the instructions on the lime package and apply at the suggested rate. After applying lime, water the soil to a depth of 10 inches to work the product into the soil.