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Post by Geranium on Oct 16, 2011 19:57:26 GMT
We all have to cut back perennials, either in the autumn or in early spring. I read somewhere that when you cut Phlox back you should leave 4" of stem - please does anyone know why that is?
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Post by Lou78W on Oct 16, 2011 20:10:33 GMT
I'm assuming its to protect the crown/roots....the same as you deal with Penstemon  |
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Post by peony on Oct 16, 2011 20:18:36 GMT
We all have to cut back perennials, either in the autumn or in early spring. I read somewhere that when you cut Phlox back you should leave 4" of stem - please does anyone know why that is? I have lots of Phlox and always cut them back to the ground, they still flower well, so I'm not sure what difference it would make to leave longer stems. I don't think next year's shoots come from the old stems, I think they grow new shoots each year don't they? |
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Post by derekbrooks on Oct 16, 2011 20:48:06 GMT
I don,t think it makes any difference
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Post by Geranium on Oct 16, 2011 21:46:41 GMT
Peony, exactly - they produce new shoots from the base, so why would we need to leave four inches of stem sticking up?
Lou - small 'stumps' wouldn't do anything to protect the plant, would they? I always leave all the top growth on my Penstemons and cut them back in the spring, I agree, but I've always cut Phlox right back at this time of year.
I must try to find the advice again and maybe ask whoever wrote it. It made no sense to me.
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Post by Lou78W on Oct 17, 2011 7:12:23 GMT
Peony, exactly - they produce new shoots from the base, so why would we need to leave four inches of stem sticking up?
Lou - small 'stumps' wouldn't do anything to protect the plant, would they? I always leave all the top growth on my Penstemons and cut them back in the spring, I agree, but I've always cut Phlox right back at this time of year. I must try to find the advice again and maybe ask whoever wrote it. It made no sense to me. I wouldn't have thought so....I leave all the top growth on my Penstemons, except for one "thug"...I only have a few Phlox, new this year....but haven't cut them back yet |
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Oct 17, 2011 7:21:28 GMT
Peony, exactly - they produce new shoots from the base, so why would we need to leave four inches of stem sticking up? I saw this on GW. It is so you know where they are and dont accidentally dig them or damage them. |
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Post by hywel on Oct 17, 2011 7:25:50 GMT
I always cut things back in the spring. I cut them back to the ground, unless they grow from the stems, which phlox don't do.
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Post by grindle on Oct 17, 2011 7:30:49 GMT
I prefer to do a spring cut back too, especially with the woody perennials, the only ones I clear back are ones that tend to rot down into a nasty mess. The insects like them too ;D
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Post by Cherry on Oct 17, 2011 10:04:01 GMT
Peony, exactly - they produce new shoots from the base, so why would we need to leave four inches of stem sticking up? I saw this on GW. It is so you know where they are and dont accidentally dig them or damage them. I grow Phlox. I need to know where they are and I often leave a lot of the plant there. |
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Post by Geranium on Oct 17, 2011 10:20:21 GMT
Interesting. Thank you for your thoughts. I leave any perennials that have seedheads (or need the protection) and cut back plants that would flop and rot, which is a great hiding place for slugs and snails. Acanthus has its leaves pulled off for that reason.
I found it difficult to mulch the bed where I have a mass of Phlox yesterday, as the sticking up stems caught it. I suppose when it rains it'll get washed down.
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Post by peony on Oct 17, 2011 11:38:10 GMT
Interesting. Thank you for your thoughts. I leave any perennials that have seedheads (or need the protection) and cut back plants that would flop and rot, which is a great hiding place for slugs and snails. Acanthus has its leaves pulled off for that reason. I found it difficult to mulch the bed where I have a mass of Phlox yesterday, as the sticking up stems caught it. I suppose when it rains it'll get washed down. I do the same as you Geranium, I leave the seedheads on the Echinacea, although I cut back any leaves that have died. I used to leave the seedheads on the Alliums but found they seed around too much, so I cut them back now. I cut my penstemons back by about a third so they don't blow about too much. If I don't cut back I find all the fallen leaves gather around the base of the plants and encourage the slugs and snails to hide there and it makes it much easier to clear the leaves off the beds if the plants are cut back. |
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Post by Geranium on Oct 17, 2011 12:13:37 GMT
Talking about fallen leaves - I know some people leave them on the beds/borders, but I clear them off, because I find so many small slugs and/or snails hiding there, which I'm sure is what happened to my new violas in the path border. I couldn't clear them every day when the gales were blowing - I'd have been out there 24/7! ;D
What do other people do? I don't enjoy clearing leaves, but leaving them is fatal for some plants.
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Post by peony on Oct 17, 2011 15:03:49 GMT
Talking about fallen leaves - I know some people leave them on the beds/borders, but I clear them off, because I find so many small slugs and/or snails hiding there, which I'm sure is what happened to my new violas in the path border. I couldn't clear them every day when the gales were blowing - I'd have been out there 24/7! ;D What do other people do? I don't enjoy clearing leaves, but leaving them is fatal for some plants. I suppose it depends how many fallen leaves you get. I get masses and if left they woud be inches deep and a blanket of wet leaves sitting on top of a plant such as a Geum or Lychnis would soon rot it. |
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Post by Lou78W on Oct 17, 2011 15:52:50 GMT
The only leaves I get in the garden are from the hawthorn hedge. Fortunately they fall close by and are easily swept up and popped in the compost bin.
The leaves at the lottie are ash leaves/sycamore leaves...I collect them and bag them up ;D
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