Sedum asks for very little once it is planted in the right spot. Most care is really about restraint: less water, less fertilizer, and only the pruning it truly needs. Here is what sedum actually needs to stay healthy through the season.
TLDR
- Water sedum only when the soil is fully dry. Overwatering is the most common way to kill it.
- Skip fertilizer in rich soil. Feed only once a year if the soil is naturally poor.
- Mulch with gravel or stone rather than wood chips to keep moisture off the stems.
- Divide established clumps every 3 to 4 years to keep them full and vigorous.
How Often Should You Water Sedum?
As succulents, sedums do not usually require regular watering. Their leaves and stems store moisture, so they are able to cope between rains. In fact they like their soil to dry out between waterings. Water them only when they are first planted, and just before the ground freezes hard for winter. In periods of severe drought water them every week or ten days, allowing the water to soak deeply into the soil. Because it is likely to be sandy soil, water will soak in rapidly, so water for only 10 or 15 minutes each time.
In the fall, give sedum one last deep watering before the ground freezes, then stop entirely for winter. Sedum left standing through winter needs no water and very little attention until new growth starts in spring.
Does Sedum Need Fertilizer?
Sedums can manage in poor soil, but they appreciate fertile soil too. Sprinkle a handful of an all-purpose granular fertilizer on the soil around sedums each spring for the rain to soak in. If the sedums are already in soil that is fairly rich, fertilize every other year. Do not overfeed these plants.
Should You Mulch Sedum?
Spread a layer of an attractive organic material on the soil around the base of showy sedums where they are situated in the perennial border or elsewhere. Two inches or so of wood chips, shredded bark, or similar cover will discourage both weeds and the evaporation of water from the soil. Do not allow the mulch to touch the stems or foliage, since the moist material may promote rot. A layer of small stones makes a good mulch also and avoids this problem.
For more information see file on Using Mulch.
When and How to Prune Sedum
Sedums usually do not need pruning or clipping. One exception is in the case of showy sedums. When wet, their fully developed flower heads sometimes become too heavy for their 18 inch stems. If this is a problem, next season trim the stems by about 1/3rd early in the summer before the flowers form, so that they will be shorter and sturdier by fall. Some other types of sedum benefit from cutting back early in the season, becoming bushier and more compact.
If your sedum isn't responding to good care, it may be dealing with disease or pests - see our guide to sedum problems for how to diagnose and fix them.
When to Divide Sedum
Divide sedum every three to four years once a clump starts to look crowded or thin out in the middle. The best time is early spring, just as new growth emerges, or in early fall once summer heat has passed. Lift the entire clump, split it into sections with a spade, and replant each piece at its original depth. Water new divisions in well for the first week or two while they root back in.
Good sedum care starts at planting time, with the right soil and spacing set from day one.
Is Sedum Deer Resistant?
Sedum is considered deer resistant, though no plant is completely deer-proof when food is scarce. Deer generally avoid sedum because of its thick, fleshy leaves and mildly bitter taste. Rabbits are less deterred and will occasionally nibble new growth, especially on young plants. If deer pressure is heavy in your area, treat sedum as deer-resistant rather than deer-proof, and pair it with repellent or fencing during the toughest winter months when other food is scarce. For more deer-resistant options to pair it with, see this list of plants deer tend to leave alone.
Well cared-for sedum rewards you with dense, colorful groundcover, exactly what makes it such a popular landscaping choice.
Sedum Care Is Mostly About Doing Less
Most sedum problems come from too much attention, not too little. Water only when the soil is bone dry, skip the fertilizer in anything but the poorest soil, and let the plant largely take care of itself through the season. Divide it every few years to keep it full, and it will keep coming back thicker and more colorful with almost no work from you.
