We like all plants for their unique characteristics, but we are most fascinated by the ones that create a great visual impact with little maintenance. That's why Allium species with showy flowers are so special. They are a stunning addition to any garden and require no maintenance. They also thrive in a wide variety of conditions and are highly sought after by pollinators. Perennial ornamental onions lose their foliage completely in winter. The flowering period of these plants varies greatly and ranges from late spring to late summer. After flowering, seasonal decline begins for each variety. How you do yoursCut ornamental garlicwhen it has faded, discover it in the following article!
Cut ornamental garlic when it has faded – tips
By the time the later-blooming varieties are in full bloom, the early-blooming ones have long since died. Any type of pruning only involves removing a portion of the plant's leaves and stems.
When and why to prune alliums
Allium plants need to be pruned every fall to maintain their beauty. To prevent the spread of disease, remove dead leaves and stems as soon as they appear. Rust and mold fungi can overwinter on diseased plant material and cause damage in the next growing season. Avoid watering plants with sprinklers or sprayers in the fall to protect them from these diseases.
When pruning, the spent flower heads are removed from the plant to prevent seed formation. As much of the existing vegetation as possible should be left in place. The longer it can stay connected, the more energy the allium has to store food for the winter. Before the first frost, collect and discard all stems and leaves. Frozen foliage becomes sticky and increases the risk of rot.
Since Allium only blooms once per season, the plant cannot be treated routinelyTrimming or trimmingbe encouraged to bloom again. When combined with other perennials that have contrasting or complementary leaf shapes, the remaining foliage can continue to be attractive for several weeks.
How you should cut ornamental onions
Allium is a perennial plant that requires very little attention due to its simple requirements. Ornamental onions are easy to cultivate and reward youwith beautiful flowers, regardless of whether they are planted in a pot or in the ground. If a flower dies, the flower stalk should be cut off as close to the flower as possible. The leaves should only be cut when they have turned yellow, because then the ornamental onion stores food for the next flower. These instructions will help you prune.
- Remove the excess flower heads: To prevent the plant from putting its resources into seed production, remove the entire flower stem except for the lowest leaves.
- Wait for leaf fall to occur naturally.
- Clear away the dead stems and leaves on the ground. Allowing them to die back naturally gives the alliums time to store enough nutrients for the winter and the following growing season.
- The next step is to cut back late-flowering plants after the first frost. The leaves become sticky with the first frost and must be removed to prevent the plant from rotting. You should not fertilize your allium after flowering.
Care after an allium bloom is easy. It is enough to water the plants moderately until they turn yellow and shrivel. Now you can either leave the plants as they are or divide them by cutting them back to the ground. Your allium plants need to be divided every three to four years. Lift the bulbs out of the ground by digging around the plant with a shovel. You should be left with a clump of onions that you can carefully sort out. Plant some of them back to the original location and transplant the others to new locations immediately. If you don't want to share your allium bulbs,they are still easy to care for. If the foliage begins to wilt, simply trim it back and add 2 to 3 inches of mulch to the ground in the fall. In spring, when new growth is expected, remove the mulch.
Important tips:
- Planting the allium with ground cover perennials is a good idea because the leaves of allium plants tend to turn yellow either before or after the large umbels bloom.
- If you grow alliums in containers, remember to water them often because container plants need more water than plants grown in the ground.
Decoration ideas with ornamental garlic that has faded
First, put the allium umbels away to dry for a few weeks and then spray them with silver or gold spray and then you can use them as winter decorations - for example, make beautiful DIY chains for the Christmas tree by simply threading wire through them pull them through.
And this is another charming decoration idea that was made using dead allium plants!
