I agree - the timing will help with the general maintenance for getting the sedum [I'm the same as you @AnniD !] happy, and the geranium will be fine too. Dividing geraniums is beneficial anyway, as is cutting back after the initial flowering. You'll often get a 2nd flush of flowers too
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Slightly off on a tangent ..... most of my sedums (yes, far easier to type and say) were cut back in early March. But I missed cutting back 5 of them, and only finally did them last week. So there are lots of longish old flowering stems in amongst the new foliage. It will be interesting to see if these 5 stay more upright than last year ... they all were really ready for splitting and are big plants, so probably would have been sprawling by late summer.
Time will tell .... will report back if it turns out to be a master stroke (or a disaster )
Bee x
Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Just shows the differences in location @Bee witched. Mine are barely out of the ground in April, never mind March, even with the benign winter we've just had. I expect those old stems will help with support though. It'll be interesting to see how it goes though
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Fingers crossed indeed @Bee witched They're certainly very tough. I think they tend to look as if they aren't because of the nature of those fleshy rosettes. I don't think I've ever staked them either. There's usually been other plants around them. I got lots of stuff done in Jan/Feb too. Managing that without getting a regular soaking was very strange!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hi @Bee witched Thank you. It is the old story of different advice is needed depending on where someone lives. Pleased to hear you have rain. I am always careful when I say 'good it is raining' not everyone is pleased, other gardeners always understand
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Someone mentioned the Chelsea chop a while ago, and I was saying - they'd have to be big enough by then to have something to chop The one I moved last year, and I have some little offcuts of, looks like the photo @Wildlifelover posted earlier. It's probably further on than usual too.
There's only been 2 days in the last couple of weeks that we've not had any rain @GardenerSuze . That was last weekend. A fair bit of dry frosty weather before that, and drier than usual. April is usually pretty wet and cold. It does highlight the differences though -lots of people on the forum have been saying they've had no decent rain for many weeks - even months.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
Dividing geraniums is beneficial anyway, as is cutting back after the initial flowering. You'll often get a 2nd flush of flowers too
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
But I missed cutting back 5 of them, and only finally did them last week. So there are lots of longish old flowering stems in amongst the new foliage. It will be interesting to see if these 5 stay more upright than last year ... they all were really ready for splitting and are big plants, so probably would have been sprawling by late summer.
Time will tell .... will report back if it turns out to be a master stroke (or a disaster
Bee x
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
I expect those old stems will help with support though. It'll be interesting to see how it goes though
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yes it does .... and I'm in a bit of a frost pocket here. Our winter was dry, and I got quite a bit done in January and February.
I don't mind cutting back sedums really early as I find they are bone hardy here ... and never get a doing by the frost.
I've never staked them, and if it's one I think might sprawl I either spilt it early, or get a big fork underneath to snap some of the roots.
Fingers crossed I haven't made a mess of them.
Bee x
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
They're certainly very tough. I think they tend to look as if they aren't because of the nature of those fleshy rosettes. I don't think I've ever staked them either. There's usually been other plants around them.
I got lots of stuff done in Jan/Feb too. Managing that without getting a regular soaking was very strange!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The only plant I Chelsea chop here is Lysimachia Ciliata Firecracker.
I wouldn't see any flowers on sedum if they were chopped .... I'm too far north.
Plenty of rain here today .... will freshen everything up.
Bee x
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
The one I moved last year, and I have some little offcuts of, looks like the photo @Wildlifelover posted earlier. It's probably further on than usual too.
There's only been 2 days in the last couple of weeks that we've not had any rain @GardenerSuze . That was last weekend. A fair bit of dry frosty weather before that, and drier than usual. April is usually pretty wet and cold.
It does highlight the differences though -lots of people on the forum have been saying they've had no decent rain for many weeks - even months.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...