Forum home Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Monty Donn

Watching a few weeks back Monty Donn mentioned about cutting back Buddelia and Cosmos to give more energy to plants so they would flower again and keep the bees happy.

Then watching Carol from the same programme (sorry forgot her surname) she mentioned leaving plants to die off naturally so the seeds would fall and be food for the birds in the wintering months.

 

Im confused. I want to provide a store cupboard for the insect world but am left somewhat bewildered at  what to chop and what to leave alone.

«1

Posts

  • kate1123kate1123 Posts: 2,815

    I think the tough answer is that it is confusing and the presenters gloss over these ideas very quickly. Which is why so many people are asking for help on forums.

    Many annual plants will keep trying to flower if you keep dead heading them until they give up. I think Carol was referring to more architectural plants like sea hollys and umbellifers.

    I actually cut off my sunflower heads and leave them under shrubs for the wildlife.

    I wish I could give you a general rule but I think you have to learn about each plant. I did not know that Buddleia re flower so you learn something new every day.

     

  • sotongeoffsotongeoff Posts: 9,802

    Bit of confusion here-a buddleia cut back now is unlikely to flower again until next year.

     

  • CiaCia Posts: 153

    My Buddleias are re - flowering again due to cutting back about 3 weeks ago.

    Kate1123 i like your idea about the sunflower heads.

     

    Thanks everyone for your words of advice - Christopher Kate and Sotongeoff. I will take on board what each and everyone of you say.

  • CiaCia Posts: 153

    Indeed Christopher2. I dont where i would be without this forum.image

  • CloggieCloggie Posts: 1,457

    I saw this programme and went out the next day and cut the spent buds off my buddleia.  Today, I did it again and it was two shoots to the side of the head I cut off about 3 weeks ago.  My budd is still covered in Red Admirals so it's been a good year for it (which is Royal Red I think - inherited with house).

     

  • CiaCia Posts: 153

    How wonderful. I love to encourage the butterflies too.

  • I cut back my imagebuddleia this time of year,this produces bigger flowers in the summer and keeps it under control.,and you can get rid of the seeds and branches before hopeful they seed everywhere.

  • CiaCia Posts: 153

    Thank you Flowering rose.

Sign In or Register to comment.