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Helenium question.
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Posted by
holly24 z5 IL (
My Page) on
Thu, May 10, 12 at 10:20
| Hello everyone, just picked up a maradi gras helenium at a local nursery. It was grown inside a green house so it's full of flower buds and it's about to bloom. My question is, now that I've planted it, should I cut off all the buds so it can root better? If I do will it bloom for me in the fall? Thanx . |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Helenium question.
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| I would always cut off the flowers. The botanical rule is: stage one vegetative growth, stage two flowers for seeds, then the end. They recommend it as well it with blueberries or Rhododendron for instance, that is, no flowers/fruits in the first season, so they develop better roots . By doing so you really keep it from spending its last energy on producing seeds (and flowers in the process). Perhaps keep some buds in order to check the colour and look forward to lots of flowers on a healthy plant next season.
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Oh, and even at some flower show event at my in-laws` town, the clipped off all rose buds for better root development and stronger shoots/canes in the first season, the show opening a year later. Well, have a nice season, bye, Lin |
RE: Helenium question.
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| It might bloom again this fall but there is no guarantee. |
RE: Helenium question.
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| This rule was invented by professional gardeners who provide weak plants. In case you lose a plant then you have yourself to blame, and not the fact that the quality of the plant was bad to begin with. In my opinion a plant planned for sell should be strong enough to support flowers. You do not have to keep seed. |
RE: Helenium question.
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I have never in my life cut off all the blooms on a new plant when I planted it and so far none have seemed to suffer and I've been gardening for 40 plus years. I guess you can do anything you want but I never even heard of that rule.
Joann |
RE: Helenium question.
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| I think that "rule" about cutting off flowers is more often applied to annuals, not perennials. |
RE: Helenium question.
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| Heleniums are tough plants. I wouldn't cut my blooms off unless I was putting in a vase! |
RE: Helenium question.
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| yep, cut it back, not just the blooms. This is known as the 'Chelsea Chop' because it is done in late May, the time of the Chelsea Flower show (ranting as usual on the antiques rose forum, I loathe Chelsea) and is often used to cut back tall, late blooming perennials such as heleniums, asters, rudbeckias. The plants will grow bushier, flower a bit later (they WILL flower again) and not grow so tall that they need staking. |
RE: Helenium question.
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| Unless the vegetative growth is sparse or looking unhealthy, I'd enjoy the flowers and cut the flowering stems off when they're spent to prevent seeding. The plant will probably bloom at the normal time next year. This thread has reminded me I need to pot on a bunch of Helenium seedlings I started a couple of months ago. |
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