Canterbury Bells

Mary370

Hi..........do I cut down/dead-head c.bells after flowering?  

Dovefromabove

I do, while just leaving a few to self seed about the place 

Lyn

As they are biennials you can just ripen a few seeds if you want to keep them then pull the plant out. 
Has anyone kept them as perennials,  they don’t last here? 

Mary370

I take it so that they only flower once?  No second flush?

Lyn

I can’t remember if they flowered again after cutting down, it was 2016 when I grew them, although I have got more to put in later this year for next years flowering. I seem to remember that they didn’t.

Mary370

Thanks Lyn........ was given some plants this year, first time seeing them...........I've fallen in love with them.  I was hoping they would have a second flush.

ladygardener2

This is the 3rd year for mine and even with the bad winter the rosette of leaves at the bottom did'nt completely die out. I do dead head but each individual flower and they reflower and last all summer long. They are smashing this year, much bigger than year 2. Oh and I'm in the north west I hope this helps. 

Suesyn

I think that there are some that are biennial but also some perennial ones. I deadhead mine and they keep on flowering,  although I must have missed some last year as lots have popped up in odd places.

Mary370

ohhh I don't know what to do now.  Don't know if they are biennials or perennials.......leave and try to collect seed later or dead-head?

Lyn

Yes, leave them! You never know, mine died after the second year, but you may be lucky. 

hogweed

Mine survive every year up here. I do cut them down when the flowers are over.