| 1> | | | | down? The trouble is that many plants, especially |
| Home gardeners are often disappointed with the | | | | herb species belonging to the Lamiaceae botanical |
| performance of their perennial bedding plants and | | | | family, (to which the majority belong) do not |
| the appearance of their herbs and sub-shrubs. | | | | sprout new growth from old wood. That is why |
| Pruning at the right time is usually the key to | | | | plants like Lavender, Artemisia, Melissa or Oregano |
| successfully growing such plants. At no time is this | | | | look so great when young, and so disappointing |
| more important than in the spring. | | | | within a year or so. |
| A commonly held view amongst many home | | | | The solution then is to prune the plants back at |
| gardeners is that perennial flowering plants in | | | | the onset of spring, which is the principle growing |
| general and herbal plants in particular, require | | | | season for most of these species. It is important |
| relatively low maintenance, certainly as compared | | | | to remember not to cut into woody parts of the |
| to annual bedding plants. This view is quite | | | | plant, but rather only at herbaceous, growing |
| mistaken. Herbs such Rosemary or Lavender, | | | | points. It is best not to hold on to plants that |
| Sage and Thyme actually need frequent and | | | | have got passed it. They should be |
| regular attention, as do many if not most | | | | removed and replaced. There are some |
| herbaceous perennials. The principle task involved | | | | exceptions though. Rosemary, which cannot be |
| is pruning. To prevent such plants degenerating | | | | cut back successfully, develops an interestingly, |
| into an untidy sprawling mess, regular clipping is | | | | gnarled, twisted bark in age. Old plants can be |
| required. This is no truer than in the spring, when | | | | therefore be limbed up into mini trees about a |
| failure to prune on time often results in the plant | | | | meter high, (3 feet) making for an unusual vertical |
| not succeeding as a worthwhile garden specimen. | | | | accent at such a height. |
| Pruning is important in order to neutralize the | | | | With regard to spring-flowering perennials, there is |
| repressive properties exercised by leading buds | | | | always the temptation to wait until the last flower |
| on a branch or a stem, over those buds that are | | | | has withered before pruning back the plants. This |
| lower down on the stem. This phenomenon, | | | | is often amistake as for many species, flowering |
| known as apical dominance, allows a stem to push | | | | constitutes the last spurt of growth before the |
| forward or upward. It is how a tree grows to a | | | | relative dormancy of the summer. The |
| great extent. The result as far as sub-shrubs, | | | | consequence is exactly what ought to be avoided |
| herbs and perennials are concerned, is very often | | | | — namely the plant comes long, leggy and |
| a top-heavy growth habit, meaning that the lower | | | | unbecoming. The best example of this is the ice |
| parts of the plant become bald, bare and | | | | plant (Lampranthus) from South Africa. The |
| unattractive over time. Therefore, pruning | | | | solution is to trim the plants after about 75% of |
| encourages lateral growth and as a consequence, | | | | the blooms have withered, thereby |
| the plant looks more compact and dense, as | | | | giving-up on the remaining 25%. This |
| opposed to increasingly lank and leggy. | | | | encourages lateral, vegetative growth that allows |
| Why though is timing so important? What’s | | | | the plant to fill-out during the month or so before |
| wrong with the plant getting a bit long and thin, if | | | | the onset of summer. |
| it can be rejuvenated at some point by being cut | | | | |