I purchased a Verbena Bonariensis and Bampton last summer but wondering what to do with them now? Do I cut them back or leave. Not sure what happens to them. Thanks in advance.
Depends on the size. You can certainly cut them back and they'll grow from the existing plant. It can mean they get huge if you don't, so it's usually a good idea. You can also use the parts you cut off as cuttings. Prep the pieces [trim below a leaf joint] and stick round the edge of a pot of gritty compost, then keep them somewhere sheltered and water as needed. They'll root quite readily, and give you more plants. You can pinch out the tops if there's a lot of growth, and cut some foliage in half to make it easier for them to support themselves. I do that most years as they don't make it through winters here very often
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
After the very cold snap earlier this year, mine also look like dead twigs - but there are tiny leaves just starting to show at the base of the stem.
In a mild winter there are usually also signs of regrowth up the stem - but not this year. I'm pretty sure mine won't reflower from the twiggy stem so I'll be cutting back to the new growth at the base. I'll wait a week or two for it to develop a little more.
If you have any new growth on the twiggy stem you can choose whether to cut back to that or back to the base.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
My Bampton have new growth at ground level (like most perennials). I cut back old dead top growth and they'll put up new flowering stems when they're good and ready.
Thanks for all your help with this. My Bampton does have growth so I'll cut back the dead top growth at the weekend. I'm going to leave the Bonariensis for a few more weeks as there is a little new growth but not a huge amount.
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You can also use the parts you cut off as cuttings. Prep the pieces [trim below a leaf joint] and stick round the edge of a pot of gritty compost, then keep them somewhere sheltered and water as needed. They'll root quite readily, and give you more plants. You can pinch out the tops if there's a lot of growth, and cut some foliage in half to make it easier for them to support themselves.
I do that most years as they don't make it through winters here very often
In a mild winter there are usually also signs of regrowth up the stem - but not this year. I'm pretty sure mine won't reflower from the twiggy stem so I'll be cutting back to the new growth at the base. I'll wait a week or two for it to develop a little more.
If you have any new growth on the twiggy stem you can choose whether to cut back to that or back to the base.