Gaura - do you deadhead to prolong?

Order in the border

Hi there - I have had some great clumps of Gaura this year, all grown from seed. It never seems to stop flowering but sometimes, some of the long stems go bare. Should I cut those back down and expect more flowers? Also - do I need to cut it right back in the autumn, or wait until spring, or not cut it back at all?? Thanks for any help you can give

Fairygirl

I'd certainly remove spent flower stems  - it usually encourages new ones to flower or at least stops the plant spending all it's energy on trying to produce seed from the old flower heads. I wouldn't cut it back after it's finished - leave it to die back itself.

I don't grow them so I hope that's correct advice though! Someone will come along and correct me if I'm way off the mark 

Order in the border

Thanks FG and Verdun!  I'm off up the garden to start cutting! I had not thought to take cuttings from the Gaura  (still quite new to all of this but I have had successful cuttings from verbena B, artemisia, E.Bowles mauve so far so why not give it a go!) Do I use the same rule - use a non-flowering new side shoot? I am on the south coast and luckily things do last well over winter in the cold frame or unheated G/H so I will definitely be trying this - I have a week off work next week devoted 100% to the garden so it will be great to add this to my (very long) list. Appreciated, thank you

Fairygirl

Gaura's a beautiful plant. I've never grown it but I'm very tempted. Perhaps it wouldn't be too hardy up here and that's why I've not had it. Must do a little research...