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How to treat Cowslips when gone over?

BMLBML Posts: 139
in Wildlife gardening
I no not where they came from but I have a large corner of my garden taken over by Cowslips and they have now started to go over.  I would like to tidy the garden but not at the expense of damaging the Cowslips so do I mow them or wait for them to disappear?

Posts

  • PosyPosy Isle of Wight.Posts: 2,773
    Wait for them to go, I think. They are lovely, aren't they. A local landowner grazes cattle on the downs near me but he always waits till the wild flowers have seeded and there has been a carpet of cowslips this year.
  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923
    you can dead head now if you don't want seeds, you can also chop the leaves down quite low (couple of inches off the soil) and they'll regrow leaves for overwintering
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Posy said:
    Wait for them to go, I think. They are lovely, aren't they. A local landowner grazes cattle on the downs near me but he always waits till the wild flowers have seeded and there has been a carpet of cowslips this year.
    We have precisely six! I'm waiting to collect the seeds from three (the other three I'll let do their own thing) in the hope of being able to increase their numbers. Some seed will go in a tray, some I will just chuck on the gravel as things seem to grow like stink there!
  • LynLyn DevonPosts: 18,472
    Let us know how you get on collecting and sowing seeds. You need to take them whilst they are green and sticky, you don’t wait until they’ve dried off as other seeds.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • BMLBML Posts: 139
    I planted a few clumps three or three years ago and now I have an area about two yards by five yards in a shady corner of the garden so I think that I will just leave them to sort themselves out.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Lyn said:
    You need to take them whilst they are green and sticky, you don’t wait until they’ve dried off as other seeds.
    Oops! I'd better get out there fast. Ta.
  • cowslip2cowslip2 Posts: 137
    I often have bright red ones, which I find come true from seed. After flowering I place them, the one growing in pots, in grass where they seed around happily.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    I investigated one seed pod - it was a bit white and squishy, but I got some flattish green seeds out and popped them in a pot. Not sure if this is too soon in their development?
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