Veronica (Speedwell)

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Veronica, also called Speedwell, is a carefree and easy-to-grow perennial with long spikes of small petals in purple, blue, pink, or white. Here’s how to grow veronica in your garden! 

This attractive plant grows in clusters from 1 to 3 feet tall, and blooms from spring to autumn.

There is also a bushy ground cover variety (Veronica prostrata), which features dense clusters of flowers and grows to only about 10 inches tall.

Planting
  • Grow in moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun.
  • Plant in the spring. (Veronica can be sowed by seed in containers in a cold frame in autumn, but most people start this perennial as a transplant from the nursery.)
  • Loosen the soil and mix in compost. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the plant’s container.
  • When placing the plant in the hole, ensure the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface.
  • Water thoroughly.

Growing
  • Water in the summer if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
  • Stake tall varieties.
  • Keep covered with a thin layer of compost, followed by a 2-inch layer of mulch to retain moisture.
  • Deadhead to extend bloom time.
  • After the first killing frost, cut back stems to an inch or two above the soil line.
  • Divide perennials in autumn or spring every few years.

Pests/Diseases
  • Scale insects
  • Downy mildew 
  • Powdery mildew
  • Rust 
  • Leaf smut
  • Root rot

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