Primroses and Polyanthus

Graham Langford

Can anyone tell me when my Primroses and Polyanthus will finish flowering and then do i cut them to ground level or just take the dead flowers off.

Dovefromabove

When they finish flowering will depend to a large extent on the weather - this seems to be a fantastic spring for primroses and polyanthus.  

When they have finished just take the flowering stems off at the base.  The plants will continue to grow for a while, and at this stage you can increase them by dividing the larger plants and planting out.  They will then die down and disappear until next spring. 

Graham Langford

Thanks Dovefrom Above.I've only got a few but i've not seen them flower like this before.Will they disappear like a perennial or will they look messy,because my Daffs have gone mad aswell so i'm worried my garden will look a mess until about August.

Dovefromabove

The leaves will continue to grow and look lush for a while, then they'll gradually die down and disappear - just remove them as they go brown and they'll be fine. 

landgirl100

I have to say I have never cut down anything from the Primula family, it doesn't seem necessary. I do like them to seed around. I must have thousands, it would be an impossible job anyway!

gardenjeannie

I find that you don't really notice them dying back. My neighbour has many kinds, that need dividing, and I have promised for 2 yrs to do it, but when I go to do it, they have just kind of 'gone'! And I keep forgetting to label which is what! The labels are in my pocket this yr, ready. I'm having some of that! Some of the 'lollipops' are gorgeous. I only have millions of boring yellow, but she has all kinds of colours. And I've made a gap for them, now! Just leave them be if you like them. Have to say though, that other than the ones I sowed last yr for her pots, her display has not yet started, and should be well on by now. Hope they are not sulking cos I keep forgetting about them! Lots of really heathy looking plants, but no obvious buds yet. Now I'm worrying about them However, it looks like her huge magnolia might flower for the first time in 3 yrs, also one that has never given her a flower in 30! And her 3 white camellias that I have never seen flower are about to. She has a nice tidy garden that I love to do for her. It is like an extra to my own.  I sow, and grow and take cuttings for her, while she sits on her trolley thingy and tells me what to put where and what to take out. We have big rows, but such fun. She's 89 this r and much less mobile suddenly, so a bit narky as she can't do what she used to, so she vents her spleen on me, feeds my kids sweeties and the dog pate, and nags me to remember to sort the primroses and polyanthus. Just as if my Nanna was back with us! I will always remeber her for the primroses and her Pansies.  There must be many worse things to be remembered for!

Dovefromabove

I find that if you dead head primulas the plants bulk up even bigger so you can make more of them, and of course you keep the varieties - but to be honest I rarely bother to dead head them either, one of the delights of primulas is their promiscuity and the varied seedlings that appear 

Graham Langford

Thanks All.Think i've got it now. 

Vulovesflowers

I cut the flower stems back, but the leaves seem to remain profuse all year!  And occasionally the odd few flowers will appear after the main flowering, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to it.  I have been cutting leaves back, to thin them, but am wondering if this just makes them grow more thickly.