Crocosmia Lucifer deadheading
mazzycheshire
Posts: 17
in Plants
We moved into this house early in the year, and it's been great watching the garden come to live through the spring/summer. There are two crocosmia Lucifer plants in one of my flowerbeds, they were beautiful in flower, but now are looking very sad and brown, and I'm wondering exactly how I should deadhead them. Thanks. 
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I remove the seed heads to allow the goodness to go back into the bulbs and then wait until the foliage dies off, which can then be easily removed. Much the same as you would do with daffs & tulips etc.
Thanks, that's great, it's been a bit bewildering as I know very little about plants, and have inherited a 100ft garden which previously was owned by very keen gardeners, so is well planted, so appreciate you help.
If the leaves etc have gone all brown & mushy, then just pulling at them easily causes them to 'break' at their base, ie the corm. Compost the dying foliage, leaving it in situe for too long causes hidey holes for slugs & snails IME. J.
jo4eyes - yes that's exactly how they have gone, thank you, I will get out there today and sort them out.
Dont be afraid of asking on here about anything that you're unsure of before you remove it- unless you absolutely hate it of course.
Mature gardens can have a lot of nice, but not always maintained plants in them, so you could end up accidently disposing of some gems. J.
Thanks J, yes there are a lot of plants but the previous owners lived here 50 years and the garden got a bit neglected in the last few years as the lady was living on her own and finding the garden too much. We have watched all summer and been amazed at how much has come into flower, but now it's come to whether to prune or not, I'm still finding my feet, as obviously don't want to destry anything by mistake!
Verdun - I must admit the plants are very big and also heavy so tend to eventually lie on the ground, so will read up on how to split them in Spring, thanks.
Dead Crocosmia heads make good additions to a Christmas arrangement when sprayed with silver or gold.
I havent got round to cutting mine back yet & it is still standing 'proud' despite all the rain. This morning we had had a sharp frost & it did look good!
Sometime soon, not sure when, I need to get in there to sort!
I did move mine last year, but from a now part-shade spot where it wasnt happy, to a south facing, sunny top of well drained slope where it's totally happy. J.