While I was trying to tidy up by getting fallen tree leaves off plants I noticed that my two bulbine plants are very sparse and leggy in the center(where I initially planted). Growth along the outside seems to be okay though a bit leggy.Can I rejuvenate this plant by cutting back drastically(and when would be the best time) or better to just try and cut off some of the newer plantlets and remove the old stuff entirely?thanks
bulbine question
My bulbine seems to do better when I thin it out in the winter. I've never cut the tops but I usually do get rid of old, dead growth. Right about now is a good time, I think, or in the next couple of months, before it takes off again in the spring.
Do you have any suggestions for the best way to divide the plant? Would that be better nearer to spring? It seems like my plants would benefit from both cutting away the bare stuff and thinning it out. I've never really tried to divide things myself, just let the plants seed themselves around and pull them from where I don't want baby plants to grow.
I'm not entirely sure, I admit I mostly neglect mine. It always comes back, but it does better after it's had more attention. I think the best time to divide it was probably in the fall about a month before the temps really dropped, but I don't think it's entirely too late. Then I would have dug it up carefully and probably cut it into sections and replanted each. Now that mine's been through a couple of freezes I'm just cutting away the dead parts, I did some of that today. I hear it's going to be a cold winter for us over all so perhaps it would be best to wait for a bit before cleaning it up, or if you do it now at least mulch around it to keep the roots warmer.
I think you are probably right. This winter seems much colder than past ones. I always get tricked into thinking it's time to cut things back when we have some nice sunny days like last week and I have time off to spend in the garden.I think I'll just put some soil and mulch around the bare spots and see what happens.I can always cut it back in late Feb-March. Last spring I was getting the garden ready for a big family party when our daughter graduated and didn't cut things back drastically because I didn't want a lot of bare spots in early May.This year the roses,rosemary and other plants are getting a major shape up.
Mine seem to have gone the way of succulants, the extreme cold followed by rain made my bulbine and my "cold hardy" aloes mush up and droop with leaf water weight. I don't think they are going to make it, but I'll wait 'till it's reliably warmer to do anything to them. Anyone else have waterlogged plants that are usually cold hardy? I'm in Austin.
After the second round of freezing weather two weeks ago, they really look like goners. I've cut off all the brown or mushy parts and put some mulch over what is left. We'll see, but it doesn't look good.
I divided mine last fall. I haven't really checked on their status lately. They're under some hay that I put down as mulch.
I've had mine recover before from looking as bad as they do now, so I'm still hopeful here in Bastrop.
I checked on my bulbine after the last freeze and while it looks horrible, it's still alive. I'll have to be sure to cover it when the next freeze comes later this week. You probably want to wait until the end of February or even until mid-March to divide. Just uncover the roots of the main plant and look for side shoots. Look for the ones that have some roots, then snip the side shoot off near the base of the main plant. Plant up those babies, or plant them in a new spot in your garden and you're good to go.
This guy was started from a half-frozen looking little shoot last April.
Well, all my bulbine look dead! I'll just wait and see.
My cold hardy catus plants and aloe are all MUSH! It doesn't look too good for them.
Like above, I will wait and see.
Charlene
With another round of freezing weather this weekend it's hard to say what will be left, but I'm going to look at it as the opportunity to rethink some areas.My garden is very small and I've jammed a lot into it. Some is not doing what I envisioned in my mind. Maybe this is Mother Nature's way of "thinning the herd" and giving me the chance to redo.Besides lots of new plants will need homes this spring won't they?
weather as an enabler, hmmmm works for me. lol
The nurseries will do well this spring! If I had to guess, I'd say my bulbine is one of the plants that are gone here, since it's not very cold-hardy and that one night got down to 12.7° without them being covered. Funny...I just divided some and traded or gave away the extras last year. Well, at least I can say we got a real winter this year.