I know, you thought you were reading an article on a gardening website, and here we are talking about some sort of new haircut?
Nah, the Chelsea chop isn’t the latest lob. It’s actually a method of pruning flowers to encourage more blossoms and stronger growth.
We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.
Knowing when to use the Chelsea chop and how to make use of it can completely change up your garden.
It improves blooming, allows you to change up the blossoming schedule, and can prop up droopy stems.
This guide will help you, from start to finish. Here’s what we’re talking about:
What Is the Chelsea Chop?
The Chelsea chop was popularized at the Chelsea Flower Show in London, England, though gardeners were informally using this method of pruning long before.
For tall, herbaceous perennials, this is a fantastic method to know and use. Especially if you have plants that tend to want to reach for the sun, so they end up looking a little lopsided.
Each stem you chop will be encouraged to form side shoots, meaning you’ll have more blossoms than you would have had otherwise.
It doesn’t take much to make this method happen. You simply need sharp, clean secateurs or scissors.
The other vital tool is a bit of bravery on your part. I know it feels a bit scary to whack a plant down without any finesse. But I promise, it will all work out in the end.
When to Prune
The key to doing the Chelsea chop right is nailing the timing.
It won’t do you any good at all if you slice down your plants in the fall. Well, it might, but then you won’t be doing the Chelsea chop method.
For those living in England (and areas with a similar climate, like the
The website greengrove.cc is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Warmer weather means spending more time outside. This means time for planning and preparing your garden space. But before you can begin sowing seeds or planting starters, such as strawberries, tomatoes, or sunflowers, you’ll need to make sure the soil is ready. One way to prepare the soil is by tilling. Tilling is when you turn over the soil and add amendments to get it ready for planting. But not every gardener agrees that tilling is the best method.
In late May, many of us look forward to seeing social media posts about the Chelsea Flower Show. The timing of this event is a reminder that there are many perennials that benefit from a late spring cutback, commonly known as the “Chelsea chop.” Many perennials that bloom in midsummer, late summer, or fall can be pinched or cut back early in the season to increase flower production, limit plant size, extend or delay bloom time, create novel flower combinations, and minimize flopping or lodging. While the chop is generally timed to coincide with the famous flower show, it’s more important to time the trimming for a point when a significant amount of vegetative growth has occurred. For the Mid-Atlantic region, this can be any time from midspring to early summer.
You put a plant in what you thought was the perfect place, but over the years that location turns out to be less than ideal. Who among gardeners hasn’t been there before?Maybe you didn’t realize how big the b
If you want a beautiful plant and a full harvest of tart and tangy elderberries, adding fertilizer is a task you can’t put off if you want to enjoy the fruits of your labor to the fullest.Fertilizing will not only help your plant
Many people don’t tend to think of plants as living things in need of feeding. This feature tends to stand out more in animals, what with their gaping mouths and (sometimes) teeth.But plants need to be fed as well, even the
Canna lilies are happiest growing in moist, fertile, slightly acidic soil. But what should you do in terms of providing fertilizer to help ensure that they produce beautiful blooms?These plants are native to tropical
Maybe it’s because I always struggled with math in school, but anytime I see numbers and measurements, I balk.Unfortunately for my plants, this includes
Growing vegetables from seed always feels like a magical feat, and carrots are no exception. Once you grow your own, there’s no going back.And once your seedlings are coming along
Morning glories are vigorous vines that can grow ten feet tall or larger, producing attractive funnel-shaped blooms through the summer.In order to maximize the quantity of bl
So, you’ve planted your almond tree following our handy guide packed full of growing recommendations, thanks to which you now have a beautiful and bountiful crop.Now the question is, how and
If you’re the proud owner of a maple tree, congrats on having such an amazing plant in your landscape! The brilliant foliage and fall color of various Acer species makes them true works of art!However, what sets a maple tree
Cold weather cover crops, or green manure crops, are planted from the end of summer to early fall for the purpose of enriching and protecting the soil.Often overlooked in the home garden, they of