The butterflies really do! I wish they did better in our hot, humid, and wet conditions, but they don't really like it here along the upper Texas Gulf Coast.
You're welcome! They are wonderful bushes for pollinators, they smell so good, and the flowers are cheery! In our zone 9a winter garden, sometimes they are one of the few nectar plants blooming and they will be covered with butterflies. 😊🐛🦋🌺
I live in San Diego so no rain here lol. I had my butterfly bush and a larger pot and it was probably 3 feet across and 5 feet tall. It was my pride and joy. It always was covered in blooms and I loved watching the butterflies and hummingbirds unfortunately, it froze this winter and died. But if you put in a larger pot, they can get pretty big.
Oh wow - I can imagine how gorgeous your Butterfly Bush was - what color was the bloom? I'm so sorry that it froze this past winter. Our winters these past two years have been so unusual with very freezing temperatures that we don't really get.
Great video! I love butterfly bushes. I don’t have a lot of ground space, so mine go into pots also. No, yet don’t get as big as if they were in the ground, but they are still so,pretty. ❤ I’m in Dallas area, zone 8a.
You are a kindred spirit! Do you take your butterfly bushes in when it freezes, or do you keep them outside? So far I have protected mine when it froze. Thanks for watching! 😊🐛🦋🌺
Great information! I bought pugster pink dwarf butterfly bush by proven winners that has full size blooms on it last year and put it in the ground here in N.Y. We had a wet spring and a wet summer. It died. I researched as to why and i learned like you said that they dont like wet feet. I was so upset because i loved it and paid $50.00 for it at a nursery. I did take one cutting from it and propagated it successfully before the mother plant died. But life got in the way and i accidently forgot about it and it died also. I was so mad at myself. This year i learned that you can grow them in pots and so im trying again and bought the same kind at Lowes for $27.98 When it rains to much i just slide the pot under the eve of my house.
Butterfly bushes are my nemesis I believe. I have had 10 different ones, but only have 3 remaining ... and those three are in containers. Good luck with yours in your container! Sliding it under the eve of your house when it rains too much is brilliant! I love the scent of the flowers and I like the butterflies these plants attract. But the plant itself is a bit of a "diva". 😁
You're welcome! Good luck with your butterfly bushes! They won't grow as large in a pot as they would in the landscape. But for those of us with clay soil, I have found a pot to be a better choice. Happy gardening! 😊
They're all beautiful! I love butterfly bushes. Just a little tip: the name is not pronounced "David-two," but "Dah-VID-ee-eye." There are two "i's" at the end, not Roman numeral 2.
My Miss Mo!ly in ground in Maryland is about 6 feet tall and I love the color. I also have an even taller lavender one hiding my neighbors shed, 2 groovy grape ones, and 2 princess pink ones. Pink is the smallest so far but I love all of them.
Oh, I know your yard must be beautiful! I wish I could grow butterfly bushes successfully in the ground here, but with our clay soil and amount of rain we usually get, I have gone through 10 butterfly bushes that just couldn't handle it. BUT, I still have three successfully growing in containers and Miss Molly is one of them! 😊 I really like their scent too! I bet yours smell amazing when in bloom.
You haven't said how you've managed to grow them successfully besides growing them in a container. How often do you water them? Do you fertilize them, if so with what and how often. Do you prune yours? I noticed they were on a drip system. What is the rate and frequency of watering. I'm very unsuccessful growing these plants in and out of a container. I either over water or under water them and kill them. Any suggestions?
I don't fertilize them, but I do have them on drip irrigation because we get so hot here. I water them daily in the very heat of our summer. I wouldn't say that I am very successful growing them here though. They do not survive for me in the ground, even when I plant them higher than the surrounding ground. I think they do better in a hot and dry climate, not a wet and humid one like ours south of Houston. My neighbors all say they can't grow butterfly bushes well either. I have decided that I will not be buying any more of them, because other pollinator plants grow so much better for me.
@ButterfliesNBirds thank you so much for your response and honesty. Very very helpful. Oh by the way, I'm in Southern California not far from Palm Springs. Very hot and very dry.
Very interesting. I watch a Garden RUclipsr in northern CA, Zone 9b that says Butterfly Bushes grow very well there. She does run drip irrigation to hers though and waters frequently.
I think in my growing zone the weather is similar to your zone. I'm going to plant some more butterfly bushes in pots also. I have some in the ground but they don't receive enough sunlight and their blooms are sparse.
Here in central Florida, we too get too much rain at times. In fact, I can count on my back yard being under water for a couple weeks every august/September. So I have my buddleia bushes - and roses - in pots. They don’t grow as large as the tag says.
I so hear you! Gardeners don't understand being underwater unless you experience it. Containers work so well in these types of situations. But now I am not wanting to deal with my plants being root bound in them, so I am starting to look at making my containers bottomless. That way the root ball is above ground, but some roots can go down into the ground. I have done this with one container and I will see how it goes. 😊
@@ButterfliesNBirds I would be really interested to know how that turns out. I have lots of new plants right now but hesitate to plant them. I was thinking of just digging a few inches down and mounding them above ground, adding lots of mulch so the dirt doesn’t leach away from the plant, but your idea makes me wonder if I should try this as well. Good luck!
Thank you ... and good luck to you too! I will post what I think of having bottomless containers, although it will be awhile before I know anything. I have mounded plants like you described only to have the ground move away from the plant over time (and due to rain). Maybe the large amount of mulch will help keep the soil in place. I lost one of my firebushes because I mounded it up but then forgot I did that and I lost it in a freeze because more of its roots were exposed. My other two firebushes right next to it were fine. But I don't think you freeze like we do. It seems like we have had a single freeze event each year where the temperature gets down very low for us, which has been unusual.
@@ButterfliesNBirds we’ve been pretty lucky not freezing the last few years and now they’ve upgraded our zone from 9b to 10a. But I’ve seen the freezes come in cycles and I wouldn’t be surprised if we got another hard freeze within the next few years.
Our zone was also upgraded this year from a 9a to a 9b. We have had a hard freeze for the last 3 winters. I have lived here for 39 years and we had never had that before. I hope it isn't the "new normal".
What material planter?? Plastic, clay, ceramic?? And I'm in Illinois and we can get brutal winters.... should I put the pots in the garage for the winter or cover with something?
I have mine in ceramic and plastic containers. I would take them inside into your garage for over the winter because of your brutal winters. When you plant in containers, you usually need a buffer of 2 growing zones for the plant to stay outside during the winter. Meaning if you are in a zone 6, you could plant a plant rated for zone 4 and keep it outside for the winter. It would probably survive during a normal winter for that zone 6. I wouldn't keep a butterfly bush outside in a container where you live.
Do you use a bagged soil mix or make your own? I am going to plant 2 pugster butterfly bushes in pots but I am not sure of what kind of soil that they need.
If your butterfly bush is in too wet of a soil I would move it because they die for us pretty easily when they have constant wet feet. What zone are you in?
Ijust bough tmy first butterfly bush. I am in N. Georgia with clay soil.Iwatched Garden Answer and she said donot amend the soil so wondering if I should use a big pot instead.
Does your area in N. Georgia get a lot of rain? I live south of Houston, TX and we get quite a bit of rain, which doesn't mix well with clay soil, because the clay soil retains the moisture. If you don't get lots of rain where your plants will be wet for awhile, you are probably okay. I had watched Garden Answer too, and they don't have clay soil. Clay soil can be a real bugger. I would prefer to have my plants in the ground, but for those plants that are very sensitive to wet feet, I put them in pots because we get quite a bit of rain. (If you have a raised bed, that can work too.) 😊🦋🐛🌺🐦
@@ButterfliesNBirds We had unusually cool and rainy spring but temps are climbing and we usually have hot dry summers.I watched a video called How to with Doc and he showed how to plant in clay soil. He says to dig hole more shallow and wide. Unwind the roots and pull out and he mixes the clay soil with a little potting soil. He says the instructions on the lables are wrong for clay soil. No mention of compost and I have always used compost.
I don't do anything special. I use Miracle Gro potting mix that I buy from either Home Depot or Lowe's. In the springtime Costco carries a larger bag for a cheaper price (Miracle Gro with Compost). The only other thing I do is put something in the bottom of the container so the soil won't initially come out when watering ... like leaves or a coffee filter ... and then put in the potting mix. What are you wanting to pot?
That is a great question! They don't like their roots to be sitting in water. Clay soil, like I have, retains water and does not drain well. Potting soil is not like that. Of course butterfly bushes need water like all plants, so a well draining potting mix and draining pots with holes do the trick. Because my Butterfly Bushes are in pots and only have access to the water delivered to them, and because we have HOT summers, I water them 2-3 times a week. But I do watch them and will alter that if needed.
They are amazing. We have a purple and a white one and the butterflies love them.
The butterflies really do! I wish they did better in our hot, humid, and wet conditions, but they don't really like it here along the upper Texas Gulf Coast.
Love butterfly bushes! 😊
Thanks for posting and the info.
You're welcome! They are wonderful bushes for pollinators, they smell so good, and the flowers are cheery! In our zone 9a winter garden, sometimes they are one of the few nectar plants blooming and they will be covered with butterflies. 😊🐛🦋🌺
I live in San Diego so no rain here lol. I had my butterfly bush and a larger pot and it was probably 3 feet across and 5 feet tall. It was my pride and joy. It always was covered in blooms and I loved watching the butterflies and hummingbirds unfortunately, it froze this winter and died. But if you put in a larger pot, they can get pretty big.
Oh wow - I can imagine how gorgeous your Butterfly Bush was - what color was the bloom? I'm so sorry that it froze this past winter. Our winters these past two years have been so unusual with very freezing temperatures that we don't really get.
What a beautiful collection. Im new to planting, when i saw blue butterfly bush i knew it will be my first plant love for outdoor.
Thank you! The color of blue blooms in the garden is not common, and I'm with you as I really like it too.
Great video! I love butterfly bushes. I don’t have a lot of ground space, so mine go into pots also. No, yet don’t get as big as if they were in the ground, but they are still so,pretty. ❤ I’m in Dallas area, zone 8a.
You are a kindred spirit! Do you take your butterfly bushes in when it freezes, or do you keep them outside? So far I have protected mine when it froze. Thanks for watching! 😊🐛🦋🌺
Great information! I bought pugster pink dwarf butterfly bush by proven winners that has full size blooms on it last year and put it in the ground here in N.Y. We had a wet spring and a wet summer. It died. I researched as to why and i learned like you said that they dont like wet feet. I was so upset because i loved it and paid $50.00 for it at a nursery. I did take one cutting from it and propagated it successfully before the mother plant died. But life got in the way and i accidently forgot about it and it died also. I was so mad at myself. This year i learned that you can grow them in pots and so im trying again and bought the same kind at Lowes for $27.98 When it rains to much i just slide the pot under the eve of my house.
Butterfly bushes are my nemesis I believe. I have had 10 different ones, but only have 3 remaining ... and those three are in containers. Good luck with yours in your container! Sliding it under the eve of your house when it rains too much is brilliant! I love the scent of the flowers and I like the butterflies these plants attract. But the plant itself is a bit of a "diva". 😁
Thank you! I plan to grow butterfly bushes in pots in Virginia.
You're welcome! Good luck with your butterfly bushes! They won't grow as large in a pot as they would in the landscape. But for those of us with clay soil, I have found a pot to be a better choice. Happy gardening! 😊
They look nice close together
I like it when they are in "full bloom" together! 😊
Very nice sharing my friend❤🌹👍
Thank you! 😊🐛🦋🌺
They're all beautiful! I love butterfly bushes. Just a little tip: the name is not pronounced "David-two," but "Dah-VID-ee-eye." There are two "i's" at the end, not Roman numeral 2.
Thanks so much for the tip! 👍😀
I think I just lost a butterfly bush this summer in our high heat. 😢
@@ButterfliesNBirds 😢 We had a very hot summer here too and not much rain. Southeastern PA
Gardens are affected by the high heat (and of course no rain). I hope you get relief soon! 😊
My Miss Mo!ly in ground in Maryland is about 6 feet tall and I love the color. I also have an even taller lavender one hiding my neighbors shed, 2 groovy grape ones, and 2 princess pink ones. Pink is the smallest so far but I love all of them.
Oh, I know your yard must be beautiful! I wish I could grow butterfly bushes successfully in the ground here, but with our clay soil and amount of rain we usually get, I have gone through 10 butterfly bushes that just couldn't handle it. BUT, I still have three successfully growing in containers and Miss Molly is one of them! 😊 I really like their scent too! I bet yours smell amazing when in bloom.
You haven't said how you've managed to grow them successfully besides growing them in a container. How often do you water them? Do you fertilize them, if so with what and how often. Do you prune yours? I noticed they were on a drip system. What is the rate and frequency of watering. I'm very unsuccessful growing these plants in and out of a container. I either over water or under water them and kill them. Any suggestions?
I don't fertilize them, but I do have them on drip irrigation because we get so hot here. I water them daily in the very heat of our summer. I wouldn't say that I am very successful growing them here though. They do not survive for me in the ground, even when I plant them higher than the surrounding ground. I think they do better in a hot and dry climate, not a wet and humid one like ours south of Houston. My neighbors all say they can't grow butterfly bushes well either. I have decided that I will not be buying any more of them, because other pollinator plants grow so much better for me.
@ButterfliesNBirds thank you so much for your response and honesty. Very very helpful. Oh by the way, I'm in Southern California not far from Palm Springs. Very hot and very dry.
Very interesting. I watch a Garden RUclipsr in northern CA, Zone 9b that says Butterfly Bushes grow very well there. She does run drip irrigation to hers though and waters frequently.
I think in my growing zone the weather is similar to your zone. I'm going to plant some more butterfly bushes in pots also. I have some in the ground but they don't receive enough sunlight and their blooms are sparse.
Yes, I think we are in similar growing conditions. If you do move your butterfly bush to full sun it should push out the blooms nicely.
Here in central Florida, we too get too much rain at times. In fact, I can count on my back yard being under water for a couple weeks every august/September. So I have my buddleia bushes - and roses - in pots. They don’t grow as large as the tag says.
I so hear you! Gardeners don't understand being underwater unless you experience it. Containers work so well in these types of situations. But now I am not wanting to deal with my plants being root bound in them, so I am starting to look at making my containers bottomless. That way the root ball is above ground, but some roots can go down into the ground. I have done this with one container and I will see how it goes. 😊
@@ButterfliesNBirds I would be really interested to know how that turns out. I have lots of new plants right now but hesitate to plant them. I was thinking of just digging a few inches down and mounding them above ground, adding lots of mulch so the dirt doesn’t leach away from the plant, but your idea makes me wonder if I should try this as well. Good luck!
Thank you ... and good luck to you too! I will post what I think of having bottomless containers, although it will be awhile before I know anything. I have mounded plants like you described only to have the ground move away from the plant over time (and due to rain). Maybe the large amount of mulch will help keep the soil in place. I lost one of my firebushes because I mounded it up but then forgot I did that and I lost it in a freeze because more of its roots were exposed. My other two firebushes right next to it were fine. But I don't think you freeze like we do. It seems like we have had a single freeze event each year where the temperature gets down very low for us, which has been unusual.
@@ButterfliesNBirds we’ve been pretty lucky not freezing the last few years and now they’ve upgraded our zone from 9b to 10a. But I’ve seen the freezes come in cycles and I wouldn’t be surprised if we got another hard freeze within the next few years.
Our zone was also upgraded this year from a 9a to a 9b. We have had a hard freeze for the last 3 winters. I have lived here for 39 years and we had never had that before. I hope it isn't the "new normal".
What material planter?? Plastic, clay, ceramic?? And I'm in Illinois and we can get brutal winters.... should I put the pots in the garage for the winter or cover with something?
I have mine in ceramic and plastic containers. I would take them inside into your garage for over the winter because of your brutal winters. When you plant in containers, you usually need a buffer of 2 growing zones for the plant to stay outside during the winter. Meaning if you are in a zone 6, you could plant a plant rated for zone 4 and keep it outside for the winter. It would probably survive during a normal winter for that zone 6. I wouldn't keep a butterfly bush outside in a container where you live.
Do you use a bagged soil mix or make your own? I am going to plant 2 pugster butterfly bushes in pots but I am not sure of what kind of soil that they need.
I use a bagged potting soil mix for my containers. Butterfly Bushes need well draining soil, so don't use a garden soil rather use a potting soil.
Do these transplant well? I think mine is in too moist soil
If your butterfly bush is in too wet of a soil I would move it because they die for us pretty easily when they have constant wet feet. What zone are you in?
@@ButterfliesNBirds 5a, northeast Iowa.
Ijust bough tmy first butterfly bush. I am in N. Georgia with clay soil.Iwatched Garden Answer and she said donot amend the soil so wondering if I should use a big pot instead.
Does your area in N. Georgia get a lot of rain? I live south of Houston, TX and we get quite a bit of rain, which doesn't mix well with clay soil, because the clay soil retains the moisture. If you don't get lots of rain where your plants will be wet for awhile, you are probably okay. I had watched Garden Answer too, and they don't have clay soil. Clay soil can be a real bugger. I would prefer to have my plants in the ground, but for those plants that are very sensitive to wet feet, I put them in pots because we get quite a bit of rain. (If you have a raised bed, that can work too.) 😊🦋🐛🌺🐦
@@ButterfliesNBirds We had unusually cool and rainy spring but temps are climbing and we usually have hot dry summers.I watched a video called How to with Doc and he showed how to plant in clay soil. He says to dig hole more shallow and wide. Unwind the roots and pull out and he mixes the clay soil with a little potting soil. He says the instructions on the lables are wrong for clay soil. No mention of compost and I have always used compost.
@Ann Young Since you typically have dry summers you should be good! We have wet ones, so that is why I have problems. 😊🐛🐝🌺🦋
@@annyoung1579Jim Putnam with HortTube plants a little raised, his videos are very helpful, he has clay in NC
Can you show me how you prepare your containers?
I don't do anything special. I use Miracle Gro potting mix that I buy from either Home Depot or Lowe's. In the springtime Costco carries a larger bag for a cheaper price (Miracle Gro with Compost). The only other thing I do is put something in the bottom of the container so the soil won't initially come out when watering ... like leaves or a coffee filter ... and then put in the potting mix. What are you wanting to pot?
@@ButterfliesNBirds Thank you. I have a dwarf butterfly bush that I want to put in a container. Your plants look lovely.
A dwarf butterfly bush should do well in a container. I have two in different containers that are thriving.
So how often do you water them in summer if they don’t like wet feet
That is a great question! They don't like their roots to be sitting in water. Clay soil, like I have, retains water and does not drain well. Potting soil is not like that. Of course butterfly bushes need water like all plants, so a well draining potting mix and draining pots with holes do the trick. Because my Butterfly Bushes are in pots and only have access to the water delivered to them, and because we have HOT summers, I water them 2-3 times a week. But I do watch them and will alter that if needed.
It gets hot and humid here in Maryland too but I never water mine.
interesting
Thanks for watching! 😊🐛🦋🌺