I was just catching up on Friday's GW and the jobs for the weekend included the Chelsea Chop which reminded me of this post.
In the show Monty says to cut back any perennials that haven't flowered yet by about a third. My whole bed is perennials that were planted from quite small back in March and are still growing and none have flowered. I'm assuming that as they are still quite immature plants I should just leave them alone? Or would they benefit from being cut back a bit to encourage more growth?
I saw that segment and thought it was slightly unhelpful advice. The point of a Chelsea chop is to target established late-flowering perennials that haven't yet begun to form flower buds. If you just go after all your herbaceous perennials, including those that flower in June and the younger ones, you'll end up doing more harm than good. Used selectively it's a good technique - but as Monty seemed to advise, not so.
I jut do it to stop my sedums from fanning out and flopping all over the place. I've never considered whether it produces more flowers - maybe it does. For that reason, I would only do it to a mature plant.
I'd like to do this with my nepeta but it's in full flower (so I assume I'm too late) and the bees are busy feeding off it. I don't want to deprive them. Have to be quicker next year.
I plucked up courage a gave my Solidago a Chelsea crop this week. They tend to go a bit floppy. If its a mistake I won't do it again but they are growing somewhat vigorously at the moment
I'd like to do this with my nepeta but it's in full flower (so I assume I'm too late) and the bees are busy feeding off it. I don't want to deprive them. Have to be quicker next year.
I think you can cut nepetas back once the flowering is mostly over, and you'll get a new flush of foliage and possibly flowers again later in the summer. Not done it myself but plan to this year, perhaps leaving some and cutting another patch back.
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For that reason, I would only do it to a mature plant.