The weigela golden jackpot is the brightest of all weigela varieties. It showcases its beauty all year round with its colorful, shiny, brilliant golden leaves that maintain their color even during the hot summer sun season.
In spring, the weigela golden jackpot appreciates nature by having its prolific crimson buds open out to deeply colored pink flowers that beautify the environment for nearly a month. The small flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies that feed on the nectar and little pollen grains.
Growing up to about 6 feet tall and spreading to about 4 to 6 feet wide, the beautiful shiny weigela golden jackpot is adaptive to virtually any soil —it grows well in loamy soils, clay soils, and moist sandy soils.
Its gardeners mainly love its attractive leaves and beautiful small flowers that add color and life to the yard. However, the weigela golden jackpot’s beauty may not stay for long if the plant is not maintained.
If you are a new weigela gardener or have noticed that your weigela plants are having growth issues, this article will help you with the care tips for the plant, specifically the weigela golden jackpot.
Caring for weigela’s golden jackpot
Typically, the weigela golden jackpot requires minimal maintenance as it is a carefree landscaping plant. Its best reward to the gardener and nature is the beautiful flowers in spring and summer. The most key maintenance practice is pruning to give it an excellent shape. The rest are basically done for a healthy plant in your garden.
Consider the following tips to keep your weigela golden jackpot plants happy and healthy:
Soil
The Weigela golden jackpot thrives in any type of soil as long as it is well-draining. Waterlogged soil can lead to root rot that will eventually kill the entire plant.
The soil should also have some nutrients to support the growth and maturity of the plant. For clay soils, you can add manure or compost before planting to boost the overall profile, while for sandy soils, you will need to water frequently to ensure the soil is moist.
Sunlight
The weigela golden jackpot prefers full sunlight for about 6 hours every day. However, it can still thrive in partial shade, with 4 hours of sun exposure. The only catch is that the flowers may be in small quantities compared to when planted in full sun.
Their leaves require much light for proper photosynthesis to occur. Considering the color of the leaves, inadequate light might hinder appropriate food production, making the plant weaken and produce little or no buds and flowers.
Watering
In the first growing season, you will need to water your plants regularly, at least once every week. The watering intervals will be more frequent during hot summers and extreme heat days as the soil will be losing more water. Remember not to overwater the plants as this can be problematic as well. Check the soil about 3 inches deep and water if it is dry.
Pruning
Pruning is done after the second flowering season to give the plants a nice shape. It also helps maintain plenty of flower shoots. When pruning, encourage the flower shoots to grow outwards, so they don’t get congested in one spot. Cut off those shoots that had produced flowers. This is because such shoots usually produce new wood at the end of the flowering season, leaving your weigela with straggly growth.
Straggly weigela bushes are hard to prune and require more effort to regenerate the weigela. You will have to cut back all the growth, leaving behind the new stems arising from the base of the plant, and feed it with rose fertilizer. However, the plant will produce fewer flowers, but after a year, it will appear new and decently maintained.
Fertilizer
Use a well-balanced slow-release fertilizer in spring that is ideally suitable for most shrubs. Apply the fertilizer when the leaves are free from dew and the soil is relatively dry.
Do not apply fertilizer on the leaves or near the stem to avoid fertilizer burn. Apply water in small quantities to the fertilized soil to help the fertilizer drain into the soil before heavy rains that might carry it away from the plants.
Conclusion
Weigela golden jackpot is typically a low-maintenance variety of weigela that can thrive in any soil type. If given the little care it requires, it can reward your garden with its shiny leaves and plenty of flowers that attract beneficial insects and birds.
If you have had problems with the weigela golden jackpot, hope the above care tip will help you regenerate the plant.