Most perennial plants require pruning at some point. But not only spring and autumn are typical cutting seasons. Sometimes it can even be the summer months when plants are cut. And midsummer and especially August, for example, is an exceptional case. We would like to explain to you why you should cut back perennial plants and also address the question“Which perennials prune in Augustor late summer.
Why should you cut plants back?
August or midsummer is the time when the blooming period for many flowers, including perennials, ends. That's a bit of a shame, of course, because the colorful flowers were so beautiful to look at. But you still have the chance to induce a second phase of flowering with some species and all you have to do is cut the plants back in August. This way they still have enough time to sprout new plants and form new flowers until the cooler autumn and first frost.
Furthermore, with such cuts you also promote denser growth and a longer flowering period. And if you want to prevent certain perennial plants from self-seeding, you can do this by pruning them back. This means the plant has no opportunity to produce seeds. And then there are those perennial varieties that need pruning in order to be able to continue to produce magnificent and lush flowers in the future. But which perennials prune in August or late summer?
Below we have put together some popular types of perennials that are often found in the perennial garden and should be cut back in mid-summer. We have divided them into categories:
Summer-flowering perennials that need pruning for the coming year
The following summer perennials will benefit, especially in the future, from pruning in August. It ensures that the plants can grow more lush and dense, but the quantity of flowers is also improved. Simply shorten the spent flower stemspretty summer perennials. Varieties that typically also become woody not only free you from the withered flowers, but also trim the tips of all shoots. This measure is advantageous for short-lived perennial species because it extends their lifespan by a few years. The cut serves to rejuvenate, so to speak.
- horned violet (Horned violet)
- Kokardenblume (Gaillardia-Hybriden)
- Nightviole (Lunaria annua)
- beautiful candle (Hole)
- Purpursonnenhut (Echinacea)
- Stockrose (Alcea)
Tipp: You can also stimulate dense and lush growth by dividing the plants. Depending on the type of perennial, find out the right time for this.In this articleWe have summarized which perennial plants can be divided in August.
Which perennials prune in August to prolong or repeat flowering
The perennials listed below benefit from pruning in the same season. This means that the summer-flowering perennials promptly become autumn-flowering perennials. Some people can do thata second flowering phaseachieved if they are completely shortened, while with others only the withered parts are removed, so that the plant forms new flower shoots shortly afterwards. This extends the flowering period, so to speak.
The following plants, among others, achieve a second flowering:
- Burning love (Lychnis chalcedonica)
- Colorful magerites (Chrysanthemum)
- fine blasting aster (Erigeron)
- catnip (Nepeta)
- globe thistles (Echinops)
- Steppensalbei(Sage trees)
- Sterndolde (Astrantia)
- Storchschnabel (Geranium– some species)
- Rittersporn (Delphinium)
- Trollblumen (Trollius)
With these perennials, regular pruning leads to a longer flowering period:
- chamomile (Anthems tincture)
- Yellow coneflower (Rudbeckia)
- sheaf of gold (Achillea filipendulina)
- Scabies (Caucasian Scabiosa)
- suneye (Heliopsis)
- Sun Bride (Helenium)
Prevent self-seeding of invasive plants
There are plants that reproduce easily and quickly. However, this is not always desirable in the home garden. You can prevent this by simply stopping the seeds from forming. Seeds, as you know, appear after flowering. Therefore, August, when these flowers of the summer bloomers have withered, is the best time to cut them. Which perennials prune in August to avoid going to seed?
- Akelei (Aquilegia vulgaris)
- Loosestrife (Lythrum)
- Brown cranesbill (Geranium pea)
- Dreimasterblume (Tradescantia)
- Jacob's ladder (Polemonium)
- chamomile (Anthems tincture)
- Flammenblume (Phlox)
- lady's mantle (Alchemilla)
- Goldrute (Solidago)
- Tangle Bellflower (Campanula glomerata)
- Prachtspierre (Astilbe)
- Red yarrow (Yarrow)
Which perennials should be cut in late summer – the last minute option
Did you miss August? Don't worry, because late summer is also suitable for carrying out this care measure in the perennial garden. There will even be a few more specimens that you can care for with one cut. For example, you can use yourCut peonies. In principle, you can cut back all early-flowering perennials until late summer if you hope for new flowers. If the flowers are no longer that important to you and you just want to care for the plants and prepare them for winter, the perennials can also be trimmed in autumn.
Reasons why you shouldn't cut perennialscan be found here.
