What happens if you chop a plant at the base?

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BlakeInCanada Kitchener, Canada(Zone 5a) Jul 20, 2011

My bachelor buttons have a couple with stems looking... alright, but the leaves have wilted and twisted. I have always wondered, If I chop the plant at the soil level, will the roots keep working and build up a new stem? Or is that the death of the plant due to nothing catchign the sun?

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nutsaboutnature Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a) Jul 21, 2011

Hi BlakeInCanada - How's the weather there?

After reading your question, I decided to do a little searching online. Although I haven't read anything yet about the condition you say your plants are in (could be a whole different problem...insects or disease?), but I found several sites that say if you cut off Bachelor Buttons "right to the ground" after blooming, it encourages them to rebloom. With a healthy plant it apparently is good for it, but again, I can't say if yours are healthy.

If you can take a picture of one of them and post it in the "Garden Pests and Diseases" forum, there might be someone who could give you more info.

Good Luck!



This message was edited Jul 21, 2011 2:23 PM

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kwanjin (Zone 7a) Jul 21, 2011

If by Bachelor's Buttons you mean Centaurea, cyanus, cutting them to them ground encourages new growth so I would go ahead and cut away anything you don't like. Do they do that every year?

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BlakeInCanada Kitchener, Canada(Zone 5a) Jul 21, 2011

The weather SUCKS. Too hot to leave the house.

Thanks for looking that up.

It was a question about general plants, but currently my centaurea cyanus made me wonder. I did chop it to about 2 1/2" so far.

I also had a balloon flower that had a bent stem, and it happened to start a new one as the old one slowly died off. I have a feeling the Butt won't.

They're annuals I think, so they don't come back and it's the first year I've tried them.

I am going to post in the disease forum. Thanks.

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