Re: L. cardinalis hardiness in UK was: Cannas plus Lobelias and Crocosmias
Hello Nancy,
I usually wait until late fall and the bloom stems have produced seeds,
then gone over to the ratty looking side. The I cut back. You do not have to
do that as they will self-clean by rotting off at the base. Just a neat-nut
thing in the nursery area. Ones I have in the garden sometimes get cut back
in early winter, sometimes in early spring during cleanup.
That mature stem does, however, need time to produce the off-sets for
next spring. Don't be to quick with the shears.
Gene
----- Original Message -----
From: Nancy Lowe <nlowe@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: L. cardinalis hardiness in UK was: Cannas plus Lobelias and
Crocosmias
> Gene said:
>
>
> There is one aspect to this plant that gets missed often. After they
> >complete blooming and set seeds, the middle stems usually die out. New
> >off-sets
> >will form in the fall for next year's performance. Those dark green
> >rosettes are
> >quite tiny. If they get mulched over they are rotted and dead by spring.
> >
>
> So, Gene, does that mean when the main stem looks dead, I should cut it
back
> to ground level? Or does it mean that it's dead? (I've already killed
> these plants once or twice!)
>
> Nancy Lowe
> Arkansas, zone 7
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