Pruning Butterfly Bush

In order to prolong the blooming season for Butterfly bush, it is necessary to deadhead (cut off) the dead flower heads. A caution here, though; if you are interested in propagating these beautiful bushes you need to leave a few spent flower heads on the bush to go to seed. These bushes do seed themselves if left to their own devices and not mulched below.

This is a flower head ready to be deadheaded. It can be a time consuming process, as there are so many on a mature bush, but one that is well worth the effort. It is now late in September and I still have a few butterflies who continue to visit my bush every day, not to mention all the other insects residing within.


You just snip the stem just below the flower head, and new growth will be seen very soon. In the case of the small blossoms beneath the main shoot, cut just below them.



Here is what the new growth will look like.

How to pinch back Mums

This is a step by step demonstration of how to pinch back mums. It's a continuation of the 7-31 post "Tracilee's gardens and questions".

This is a patch of Clara Curtis Daisies, which are a variety of mums.



This shows how far back I go on a stem to pinch off a section. The thing is, I don't take just an inch off the top.



I take a longer piece, as I don't like to throw away the part I pinch off.



I like to propagate it. I have an area in my garden, this year it's developed right next to my faucet so that I remember to keep it moist all season. I used to have it out back, but as I don't see it every day, I often forgot to keep it moist. So this new area has been working great this year. Have had several plants rooting since May, and keep added to it every week!




So the way I root my plants is to use some type of stick, or my planting tool, if I have it with me. I poke a hole in the soil,



put the slip in,



secure it, water it,




and Voila! A new little plant-to-be!! In this case I took three slips, and will have three hew plants ready to be moved by the end of the season. That translates to three new Clara Curtises soon ready to be adopted. And as you can see, as I have already done this earlier in the season, I have several ready to go right now!!


Clara Curtis Daisy has now been added to the available plants list!!