Red Hot Pokers

hutchman · July 2020

Hello, I have 4 x large RHP plants of which 2 have for the first time this year sent up large stalked flowers and looked wonderful. They are in a wide border at front of house facing south and in full sun ( when out !!)
All 4 are taking up a lot of ground cover - My question for help please is -
Can I ( and when) dig these up, separate them and plant elsewhere ? - or is it better to reorganise my border around them ?
Can I cut the leaves back 'hard' as they can and do cover the other plants I'm nurturing.

Any help or advice as always much appreciated

Fairygirl · July 2020

Are they the bog standard ones?
They're hideously big. You can certainly dig them up and move them, and split if you wish. It's usually better to wait until they're dormant, but if they're taking over your border, it's worth just doing it whenever it suits you. You can cut them back a bit to make it easier for them to establish, water thoroughly, and let them get on with it in a new position.

They aren't very inspiring when not in flower, so unless you have acres of room to play with, that's probably better than trying to create other planting near them. They take up so much room that it'll be tricky to get anything to compete, and they'll just suffocate anything smaller.

Astro · July 2020

They are generally thought of as tough plants, and this is my experience of having had them for a couple of years.
I've divided them, cut foliage and even moved them in June, and they seemed pretty unbothered. I just watered them well after whatever course of action.

hutchman · July 2020

Thank you Fairygirl and Astro for both your comments and I take them on board.
I think I'll go with 'instinct & common sense' and trust to Mother Nature to give these plants the choice.
For me what it's what gardening is all about.
Thanks again, take care and stay safe.

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