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Penstemon pruning
The Bird Lady
Posts: 225
in Plants
I have an established Penstemon which flowers very well every year, but it's starting to get a bit woody and congested at the base. I trim off all dead flower spikes etc regularly but I wondered whether I could cut it right down?
0
Posts
I cut mine hard in Spring and use the nice, flowerless shoots to produce cuttings. Really easy .
You'll get a nice bushy parent plant and lots of little babies.
Yes I'd go along with that, prune it back in April
I'm holding out till April time as well
can't come quick enough haha!
guess this is question for April time, but when you prune the penstomons, how far do you cut back?.. Do I just take a 3rd off from the top?...
if its a large established plant I'd remove a good two thirds and use the sprigs from what you've removed as cuttings
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Excellent - another job for Spring - thanks everyone!
I thought you cut back penstemons each year ? Maybe this is why mine never flower very well ? Was going to get rid of them this year. Seem a bit half hearted. maybe that is just down to my poor soil and gardening skills.