2 pruning questions; verbena bon. and creeping Thyme

josine2302

Hi, I have two questions, should I prune my verbena’s in the autumn or in spring, or aren’t they hardy at all? Question nr 2: I have a lovely but very fastgrowing creeping Thyme, what to do with that? Cut is down before winter or in spring. Or not at all. 

Fairygirl

Hi Josine - the V.bons are a bit hit and miss in the UK, but it depends where you are and what the soil's like. Mine often don't make it, even though they're in raised beds, as we get cold wet winters, which they don't like, but if the ground's drier, they'll take a fair bit of cold. Snow certainly doesn't bother them, but if they sit in cold, wet soil that does more harm. If they set seed, you sometimes get a new plant appearing. I usually leave them, as any foliage offers a bit of protection in severe weather. 
I'd leave the thyme. Again - the foliage gives some protection. I lost one last year, but they usually survive here. I only grow it in pots though, because the soil would be tricky for them - as with the V.Bs 

JennyJ

I leave my verbena bonariensis until the seed has been set and shed.  If they look untidy after that, I cut them back, otherwise they get left until the spring tidy-up.

I don't have thyme but yours looks nice, green and healthy so I think I'd leave it.  Also I'm not sure whether next year's flowers will be on this year's growth or not.

josine2302

Thank you @JennyJ and @Fairygirl. I’ll leave them both be. Usually our winters are rather mild so maybe my verbenas will survive. I presume that I will have to prune them back in spring? 

Lizzie27

Yes, you can just cut back the old stems of v.bon in the spring or earlier if they get trashed by the winter weather - down to about a couple of inches from the base.

Bijdezee

I cut my thyme back hard after the first flowering and it is back bushy again. I always think, if in doubt leave it until spring. The top growth gives some protection in a hard winter. 

Fairygirl

If you cut back the V.bs in spring as Lizzie says, you can use the pieces as cuttings. A few pieces round the edge of a pot of gritty compost, and tucked away somewhere sheltered.
I find they take very readily, although I would do them a bit later here than in warmer parts of the country - about late May. You can cut back a couple of stems and leave the others, for a succession of flowers, and to give varying height. 

Purplerain

I would not cut them back and give them a chance to self seed. Meanwhile, I would have some seeds ready to sow in late January (they are slow to germinate) just incase they fail to seed in the garden,

My thyme are all kept in pots and I give them a haircut in Spring. I never actually use my herbs apart from mint and parsley. It's all show with me. 

josine2302

Bijdezee said:

I cut my thyme back hard after the first flowering and it is back bushy again. I always think, if in doubt leave it until spring. The top growth gives some protection in a hard winter. 

This is creeping thyme, and the hot summer made it grow all over the place. Hard to say how to give a haircut. I’m going to wait until spring, and wait how it survives winter.

josine2302

@Fairygirl I will try to do some cuttings, but I doubt that I’ll succeed. My succes rate with cuttings has been bad, very bad. Never know how often to water. 
@Purplerain I’m going to collect some of the seeds, good idea!

Thank you everyone, the information on the internet and in books can be so vague, you give practical advice that actually answers my questions 😘😘.

Fairygirl

Keep them on the dry side Josine, but don't let them dry out completely.  If they look a bit limp,they need a drink