The ‘Chelsea chop’ is a technique of pruning herbaceous perennials to delay the beginning of their flowering interval. A great way to maintain your crops bushy and compact, it additionally helps to stop them from galloping away and turning into tall and leggy. Its identify comes from the truth that it’s often carried out concurrently the RHS Chelsea Flower Present (in late Might or early June). We requested our horticultural workforce for recommendation on which crops are finest suited to this therapy, and get one of the best outcomes…
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The advantages of the Chelsea chop

Picture: Aster Crops – Tonga from Suttons
Appropriate for many late-flowering perennials, the Chelsea chop reduces the scale of the plant and delays the flowering season by as much as six weeks, making certain that you simply nonetheless have color when different flowering has ended. The nearer the chop is delivered to the pure flowering interval, then the longer the blooms will likely be delayed. When you have a number of crops of the identical selection, you might chop again some and depart others. This gives you vibrant blooms over a for much longer interval, fairly than simply delaying all of them.
The Chelsea chop has advocates and opponents – some gardeners are unwilling to cut off the wholesome flower heads that they’ve been wanting ahead to all winter. Others really feel that, nevertheless brutal the motion, the advantages make the preliminary sacrifice price it. A number of the advantages embrace:
- Neater and extra compact crops
- The stems develop stronger and are much less susceptible to flopping
- Much less staking is required and there’s much less likelihood of wind rock and harm
- The flowers come later, when different crops have completed
- Extra flowers, though barely smaller
give your crops a Chelsea chop
The Chelsea Chop may be carried out on a variety of perennials. Some choppers are braver than others, however most gardeners cut back crops by a couple of third, utilizing sharp shears or secateurs.
Totally different sorts of late-flowering perennials may be reduce to completely different ranges. When you have a really giant clump, strive slicing the entrance decrease than the again to make sure a succession of flowers all through the summer season.
Which crops profit from a Chelsea chop?

Picture: Sedum ‘Atlantis’ from Suttons
Crops that profit from the Chelsea chop embrace:
The Chelsea chop is a simple method to management the form and flowering interval of a plant, but it surely’s not appropriate for all flowers. People who bloom solely as soon as, like irises, aquilegias and peonies shouldn’t be pruned earlier than they’ve had an opportunity to flower.
We hope this has helped you to determine whether or not to offer your individual crops a Chelsea chop. When you’re trying to fill your backyard with color, learn our article for tips about create a perennial border on a finances. Stocking up on plug crops? Right here’s get one of the best out of your perennials.
Lead picture: Rudbeckia Crops – Goldsturm from Suttons