Whether you have to cut back gentian or whether pruning is unnecessary - opinions differ. What is certain is that by cutting in autumn you protect the gentian better from frost. However, you should never prune the blue gentian during the flowering period.
When and how should the gentian perennial be cut?
Gentian perennials should be pruned after flowering to remove spent flowers, keep the plant in shape and prepare it for winter dormancy. Pruning too hard can prevent autumn blooms, so caution is recommended.
When is cutting gentian perennials necessary?
- Removing faded and dried up flowers
- Topiary after flowering
- Care cutting before winter rest
Cutting spent flowers
Seed capsules form in the faded flowers, in which countless seeds ripen.
If you want to use the seed for propagation or if the gentian is to sow itself, you must not cut the flowers, even if it doesn't look so pretty.
If propagation is not desired, it is better to cut off spent flowers. Ripening the seeds costs the perennial unnecessary energy.
The topiary
Blue gentian tends to spread irregularly. If you want to keep the perennial in shape, cut it back after flowering.
All side shoots and the shoots that protrude particularly strongly at the top are removed.
But be careful not to cut back too much. This may prevent the gentian from blooming again in the fall. You'll be on the safe side if you don't cut the gentian into shape until autumn.
Cutting back for overwintering
After the autumn blossoms, you can use scissors to shorten the gentian in the pot or in the garden. The perennial then needs less water and saves energy for the next season.
Cut out all parts of the plant that have faded or dried out.
Then cover the gentian plants in the bed with brushwood, or cover the pot with foil.
How to cut gentian correctly
You can cut off whole shoots or just the tips of the shoots. Whole shoots are cut as close to the ground as possible.
Since gentian is non-toxic, you do not need to take any special precautions when cutting, such as wearing gloves.
Tips & Tricks
Pruning the gentian is of little use if the perennial barely blooms anymore. It's better then to dig them up and share them. The plants rejuvenated in this way recover quickly and produce many flowers.
