Can you cut down the perennials once they start dying
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Clarabel Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 23
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:53 am Post subject: Can you cut down the perennials once they start dying |
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makes the garden look horrid with "dying" plants all over. Or do they need to die off themselvse?
At the moment its the poppies and chives. |
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Sive Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 1731 Location: Co.Wexford
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:25 pm Post subject: |
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Chop your chives right down and they will regenerate very quickly with very appetising new growth.
As for perennials generally, you should keep dead-heading to encourage flowering. Otherwise, as I am not an expert, I have slowly learnt which ones benefit from an early chop. For instance, the hardy geraniums can give you a second flush of fresh foliage and flowers if cut right back after flowering.....also astrantias. You'll learn by experience.
As for the later perennials, it depends on whether you're a neatness freak, or whether the skeletal shapes appeal to you over the winter...and the birds and insects probably benefit from a relatively "untidy" approach. |
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James Kilkelly Rank: Site Admin

Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 2163 Location: West of Ireland
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