Fat hen (or sedum), also called sedum and stonecrop, is a hardy plant that requires little attention and care. It doesn't matter whether you pay attention to her or not - she will still develop. Most of the time these plants just need to be grown and then forgotten about, except for the occasional watering. It is possible to keep the growth of sedum plants under control by careful pruning, although this is not essential for the proper development of the plant. Cutting off the spent flower heads can make the plant more attractive and ensure future development is not hindered. Below you will find out how to cut your fat hen!
Drought tolerant fat hen for your garden
Fat hen is a genus of plants with around 400 species. Sedum plants come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from low-growing, ground-covering succulents to upright sedum plants. Most species prefer a full sun to partial shade location - at least 6 hours of direct sun most days is ideal for the growth of most sedum plants.
Sedum plants generally grow best in well-drained, sandy, gravelly or sandy-loam soil that is loose. Sedum is susceptible to root rot and fungal infections when the soil in which it grows contains excessive water, which is often the case in heavy, wet clay soils.
The leaves of upright sedums are characteristically succulent and form large, upright clumps. In late summer, their stems are crowned with huge red, pink, white or yellow flower heads that are flattened and covered with dense clusters of small flowers. Because of their height and the attractiveness of their flowers, they make a striking addition to the landscape and are particularly suitable for borders and pollinator gardens.
When should you cut fat hens?
It's not technically necessary to cut back sedum plants unless they go wild and get out of control. By pruning sedum plants, you can limit wild growth and possibly cause the plants to grow thicker. This is useful if you want your plants to look very neat. Although it won't harm the plant, it's important to know when to prune sedum plants to preserve the star-shaped flowers that most varieties produce. For clusters of flowers, it would be beneficial to cut the plant back to limit its overgrowth and prevent it from tipping over. When you prune fat hen, the stems become thicker so they can better support the weight of the flowers.
When you should cut back your sedum depends on whether it is the bushy or creeping form. Both require onespecific type of pruning. The sedum growth cycle begins in early spring. You will see new buds sprouting from the ground. Now is the time to cut off the spent flower stems to make room for new growth.
Tipp: Pruning should not be done in winter or when it is very hot because this is when the fat hen is most stressed.
How to properly prune sedum
To encourage sedum plants to produce more flowers during the growing season, cut the stems back ⅓ or ⅔ once. When the creeping sedum plants reach a size that is too large for the available growing space, you should cut them back.
First, you should sterilize your pruning shears. Use a disinfectant suitable for home use and rinse the area thoroughly with water. This method must be repeated on each plant.Removethen spent stems to make room for the development of new shoots.
If you want to prevent the plant from toppling over, cut the stems about halfway up - you can also do this over the summer. A plant that has become too heavy might benefit from this treatment. Find a spot on the trunk that is directly above a group of leaves and make a clean cut there. There is no need to worry because new flowers will grow on the cut stems.
Cut fat hens and encourage more compact growth
When choosing a location for planting sedum, it is important to take into account the future height of the plants. Some types of plants are low and are classified as ground cover plants, while upright Sedum types can grow up to 60 cm. Choosing a size that is appropriate for the area available will help you limit the amount of pruning required. If you have planted sedum in an area that prevents other plants from thriving, you can encourage more compact growth by planting tall sedum varietiesin springcut back. To remove the stems, simply pinch them off just above a leaf node.
