Chumasande MatiwaneAutumn in South Africa is like a second spring in a way, especially for the Western provinces of the country. With the intense summer heat behind, some flowers begin to bloom in large numbers, filling gardens with flocks of beautiful birdlife. April is the best time of year to enjoy a rainbow of indigenous flowers in your garden. From the famous Western Fynbos, golden daisies and star clusters are all April bloomers. To get the most out of your garden in April, these are some of the few perennials to cut back.
Bee balm
Beautiful and aromatic, bee balms are favourites of pollinators and offer a bright spot in any garden. These perennials benefit greatly from an autumn pruning session. It’s best to shape up bee balm plants around late April, just before the first winter frost arrives. Cutting back helps create some space within the plants and lets you add compost and mulch more easily to warm them up during the colder months.
Image Credit: Pexels
Phlox
The showy phlox can bloom right till late autumn, but once they finish their blooming, it’s time to cut them back. Since phlox groundcovers are known for their powdery mildew issues, they need the cutting to help them survive till their next blooming season. Cutting back the stems removes any diseased, discoloured, or damaged foliage from the plant, as well as its surroundings, in turn decreasing the risk of powdery mildew.
Sedum
A perennial autumn favourite for many gardeners. Sedum plants grow lovely leaves and blossoms that provide excellent late-season nectar for pollinators, bringing or rot. More pollinators for your garden in Autumn. You can leave sedum undisturbed for some winter garden structure, but you can also trim the spent stems and foliage back down to ground level. This is a good idea if your plant is showing any signs of late-season disease.
Image Credit: Pexels
Lavender
In addition to its good looks and violet flowers. Lavenders are also grown solely for their lovely scent and beauty. Regardless of your intent, your lavender plants may benefit from being cut back in the autumn, as it can lead to better blossoms for the next blooming season.
Also see:
Feature Image: Pexels
