Which plants benefit from the Chelsea chop?

Robust, mid to late summer-flowering perennials benefit from the Chelsea chop the most, so try it on perennials like Phlox paniculata, heleniums, asters, echinacea, solidago (golden rod), perennial sunflowers like Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’ and achillea. You can also try it with autumn-flowering sedums.

Can you Chelsea chop Aquilegia?

Chelsea Chop is not suitable for flowers which flower only once such as Peonies, Irises and Aquilegia.

Can Chelsea chop Centaurea montana?

One of my favourite natives is Centaurea nigra, known as Hardheads or Common Knapweed. It grows in all kinds of grassland including chalk cliff tops. Centaurea nigra grows on our village green where it is regularly mown down and it flowers at no more than 4 inches tall – an obvious candidate for the Chelsea chop!

Can you Chelsea chop Veronica?

Many kinds of herbaceous perennials are suitable candidates for this horticultural haircut, especially the taller, later-flowering kinds including asters, eupatorium, coreopsis, echinacea, helenium, anthemis, sedum, veronicastrum, phlox, penstemon, echinacea, achillea and solidago.

Can I Chelsea chop anthemis?

Plants Suitable for the Chelsea Chop Not every plant does well with this pruning method. Species that bloom early in summer might not bloom at all if you chop them back. Some plants suitable for the Chelsea chop are: Golden marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria syn.

How do you make Chelsea sedum chops?

To carry out the Chelsea chop: Clumps of perennials can be literally be chopped back by one third to a half using shears or secateurs. This will delay the flowering until later in the summer and keep plants shorter and more compact. If you have several clumps of one plant, try cutting back a few, but leaving others.

Can you Chelsea chop Campanula?

You can try the Chelsea chop on a range of vigorous perennials to ensure your borders bloom over a long period – try it on achillea, asters, campanula, echinacea, helenium and more.

Should I cut back Aquilegia after flowering?

Aquilegias do not need to be pruned, but you may wish to cut back the foliage after flowering if the leaves are beginning to look scruffy. Give the plant a drink and a compost mulch and you will be rewarded with a lovely fresh flush of foliage in a few weeks.

Can I Chelsea chop Shasta daisies?

Cutting back the entire plant by 1/3 in late May or early June will typically delay flowering by 2 to 3 weeks. Good candidates for this technique include coreoposis, phlox paniculata, monarda, heliopsis, nepeta, Shasta daisies, asters and helenium.

Is it too late for Chelsea chop?

This pruning method is carried out in late May, around the time of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and can be done on a wide range of perennials, including phlox, penstemons and sedums. Doing the ‘Chelsea chop’ can delay the flowering of perennials by four to six weeks.

Can I Chelsea chop hardy geraniums?

You can cut the entire plant back, or you can trim one-half to one-third of the stems. Trimming the entire plant will create a more compact plant that will produce more flowers later into the year. To chop this way, simply grab your shears and begin chopping. Cut off about one-third to one-half of the plant.

Can you Chelsea chop sedums?

Sedums. Sedums are prone to becoming leggy and looking untidy. Give them the Chelsea chop to encourage a neater, more compact shape, with more flowers.

Is Helianthus lemon Queen a perennial?

Free-flowering, Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’ (Sunflower) is ideal to brighten up the late season garden. This tall and upright perennial features luminous sprays of pale yellow flowers, 2 in. across (5 cm), with light yellow ray florets surrounding a dark yellow central disk.

Is Helianthus annuus a cut flower?

Helianthus annuus‘Lemon Queen’ bears masses of large, lemon-yellow flowers from July to September. It’s ideal for growing at the back of a sunny border, and makes an excellent cut flower.

What is a lemon Queen sunflower?

Sunflower ‘Lemon Queen’, Perennial Sunflower ‘Lemon Queen’ Free-flowering, Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’ (Sunflower) is ideal to brighten up the late season garden. This tall and upright perennial features luminous sprays of pale yellow flowers, 2 in. across (5 cm), with light yellow ray florets surrounding a dark yellow central disk.

Is Helianthus a herbaceous plant?

Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’, a plant that is grown solely for ornamental purposes. This is an old, traditional sort of herbaceous plant. It is tall, bulky and vigorous, quickly forming large clumps.