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Butterfly Garden

Butterfly bush

16 years ago

I love butterflies and also Humming birds and have planted a number of butterfly bushes(Davii or something like that). I have planted the Black Knight.. Red jubilee(or some name like that), the White one and the purple one).. they do get rather bushy. MY concern is.. in the winter time.. Do I cut them back to 12" or more.. or less? and then cover them when Frost is emminent? or not cut them back in the winter months.. (December/January/November). The reason is that they are somewhat expensive and I do not wnat to lose them and have to plant them all over again in the spring

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Comments (3)

MissSherry
16 years ago
It's much safer and better for butterfly bushes to cut them back in spring only. If you cut them back before winter sets in, then any warm winter spells will likely cause them to start making new growth, which will get killed back when the cold returns - new growth is tender. It's not particularly healthy for any plant to have to continue to remake new growth. If you wait until spring, you'll have to look at the ragged fall bush all winter, but the new growth it makes will stick and continue to grow, and your 'new' bush will be beautiful! I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but cut them back once you're sure there will be no more freezes.
MissSherry
aggscott
16 years ago
I cut mine back in the beginning of April-I live In PA-I just have to say how happy I am that I waited and did it then because it looks great! It looks healthy and very bushy with a ton of new growth that is going to have a ton of flowers. I can see small buds of flowers already starting to form-

Aggie
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I got lucky w/the swallowtail. I didn't think I'd ever get a shot of him, but he finally settled down for a few seconds on one flower, then a few seconds on another. That was it. He was constantly moving. Caterwallin, I appreciate the offer, but we have about all of the flowers we can handle in the room that is available to us. We have over two thousand plus bulbs and flowers in the front gardens alone. Almost every square inch in two flower beds is filled with flower bulbs and roots. All but one of the other flower beds are almost as full. I'm *trying* to keep the rest of the front garden as edible landscaping. The flowers help to attract pollinators and beneficial insects for the edible garden. Plus, from time to time, I get to take pretty pics, and share the beauty with others!
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adelante
Original Author
16 years ago
In Phoenix, AZ.. OK.. I will attempt to cover them during the freezing times in the winter and cut them back in Spring.. NORMALLY.. when it freezes in Phoenix, it might do so once or twice a winter and ONLY for an hour or so. but this past winter lasted the better part of three days and I think even killed off the Ficus trees as well as those all over the City

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