Torch lilies or rocket flowers require little care. This is also evident when cutting back the perennials. However, you have to pay attention to something so that the plants produce lots of flowers. Pruning may only be done in spring.
When and how should you prune a torch lily?
To cut a torch lily correctly, pruning in spring is ideal. Cut off the old foliage a hand's width above the ground without damaging new growth. Spent flowers should be removed immediately to keep the plant strong and blooming.
Cut torch lily correctly
In autumn the time has come for the gardener to cut back all the perennials in the perennial bed and prepare them for the winter.
Torch lilies are an exception here. You should never cut them back in the fall, but leave the evergreen leaves on the plant over the winter and tie them together over the heart of the plant.
- Pruning in spring
- Do not cut back in autumn
- Cutting leaves above the ground
- Only cut off spent flowers immediately
How to prune correctly
In spring, use scissors (€14.00 on Amazon) to cut back the torch lily. Cut off last year's foliage a hand's width above the ground.
Make sure that you do not damage any new shoots or inflorescences that may have already appeared when cutting back.
Take advantage of the opportunity to provide the perennial with some ripe compost after pruning.
Immediately cut off spent flowers
During the flowering period, you should always cut off flowered inflorescences straight away. You can only leave the flowers if you want to collect seeds to propagate the torch lily yourself.
Cut the stems as deep as possible with the secateurs.
By cutting the spent flowers, you prevent the seeds from ripening inside. The ripening of the seeds robs the torch lily of a lot of energy, so that it no longer blooms as beautifully the next year.
When the torch lily produces many leaves
Torch lilies tend to produce a lot of foliage. However, you should not cut the leaves to avoid damaging the plant.
If the perennial develops a lot of leaves, this is usually a sign that the soil contains too much nitrogen. This is often the reason why the torch lily blooms little or not at all.
Tips & Tricks
The long, slender torch lilies also look great as cut flowers in floor vases. They can be combined with other summer flowers to create colorful bouquets. The flowers are very popular with florists because of their long shelf life in vases.
