Foxgloves are a stunning addition to any garden, known for their tall spikes and vibrant flowers that attract bees and other pollinators. However, once their beautiful blooms begin to fade, gardeners are often left wondering what to do with them next. This guide will help you understand how to care for your foxgloves after flowering, ensuring they stay healthy and continue to thrive for seasons to come.
Understanding Foxgloves and Their Life Cycle
Before we dive into post-flowering care, it’s important to know a little about foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea). These plants are biennials or short-lived perennials. They grow in a two-year cycle: in the first year, they develop a rosette of leaves, and in the second year, they send up tall flower spikes. After flowering, the plants begin to die back, and many gardeners are unsure of what steps to take next.
What To Do With Foxgloves After Flowering
Foxgloves require specific care after flowering to maintain the plant’s health and encourage future blooms. Let’s explore the various options you have when caring for these beautiful flowers once they’ve finished flowering.
1. Cut Back Dead Flowers
Once the foxglove flowers begin to fade, they can become unsightly. It’s best to cut back the flower spikes, removing the spent blooms. This is called deadheading and is an essential step in keeping your foxgloves looking neat and tidy.
Deadheading also prevents the plant from putting energy into producing seeds and directs the plant’s resources toward maintaining its health. Use clean, sharp scissors or pruning shears to cut the flower stalks back to the base of the plant, just above the rosette of leaves.
2. Allow for Seed Collection (Optional)
If you want to propagate your foxgloves or share seeds with friends, allowing the flowers to go to seed is an option. Once the flower stalks are spent, they will begin to form seed pods. Allow these pods to mature fully, turning brown, before cutting them off and storing them in a dry, cool place.
Foxglove seeds are tiny, but they can be easily sown in the next growing season to grow new plants. If you prefer a low-maintenance garden, you may want to avoid this step, as foxgloves self-seed freely and could spread unintentionally.
3. Cut Back the Foliage
After the flowers have faded, you may notice the foliage starting to look limp or yellow. In this case, cutting back the leaves is a good idea. Trim the foliage to the ground, leaving just a small portion of the plant’s base.
While foxgloves generally die back naturally after flowering, cutting them back will help improve airflow around the base of the plant and prevent the growth of pests or disease. It also helps the plant focus its energy on regrowth, especially if you plan to keep the foxglove as a perennial.
4. Consider Cutting the Plant to the Ground (If Biennial)
If you have a biennial foxglove that has completed its flowering cycle, it will die off after producing seeds. In this case, it’s best to cut the plant down to the ground after flowering. This encourages the plant to return next year by allowing the seeds to germinate in the soil.
Biennial foxgloves will likely die after one flowering season, so you’ll need to reseed them every year. Alternatively, you could plant perennial varieties of foxgloves, which will bloom for several years with proper care.
5. Provide Additional Care and Fertilization
After flowering, you can encourage healthy regrowth by applying a balanced fertilizer. A slow-release fertilizer will provide the nutrients your foxgloves need for the next growing season. Fertilize in the early autumn, and be careful not to over-fertilize, as this can result in weak, leggy growth.
In addition to fertilization, check the soil around your foxgloves for moisture. Ensure the plant is getting enough water, especially during dry spells, but be careful not to overwater, as foxgloves don’t like to sit in soggy soil.
6. Mulching for Protection
If you live in a region with cold winters, you might want to mulch around the base of your foxgloves to protect the roots from frost. Use organic mulch like compost or shredded leaves. A layer of mulch will keep the soil temperature stable and prevent the roots from freezing during the winter months.
When to Remove Foxglove Plants Completely
If your foxgloves are biennials, they will die after they bloom. In this case, you will need to remove the entire plant. If you leave the plants in the garden after they’ve died, they can harbor pests or diseases.
Perennial foxgloves, on the other hand, may need minimal attention after flowering. You can leave them standing until late autumn before cutting them back to their base. Be sure to remove any dead or damaged foliage during the winter months to keep the plant healthy.
Other Care Considerations for Foxgloves After Flowering
While the main tasks after flowering involve deadheading, cutting back foliage, and mulching, there are a few other things to keep in mind for overall care:
Pest Control: Foxgloves can attract pests like aphids, snails, and slugs. Keep an eye out for infestations and treat them promptly.
Disease Prevention: Ensure your foxgloves have good airflow and that their leaves do not sit in water. This reduces the risk of fungal infections like powdery mildew.
Reseeding or Transplanting: If you notice that the plant has self-seeded in other parts of the garden, consider transplanting the young plants to avoid overcrowding. This gives each foxglove the space it needs to thrive.
Conclusion
Taking care of your foxgloves after flowering is a simple yet important task to ensure their longevity and beauty. Whether you decide to cut back the flowers, collect seeds, or mulch for winter protection, these steps will keep your plants healthy and ready to bloom again in the next growing season. By following these straightforward guidelines, you’ll be able to enjoy the vibrant beauty of foxgloves year after year.
FAQs about Foxgloves After Flowering
1. How do I deadhead foxgloves?
Deadheading involves cutting off the spent flowers after they have faded. This prevents seed production and encourages the plant to focus on healthy foliage growth.
2. Can I save foxglove seeds?
Yes! If you want to propagate your foxgloves, allow the seed pods to mature and collect the seeds for next season.
3. Should I cut back foxgloves after flowering?
Yes, trimming back the spent flowers and any dead foliage helps maintain the plant’s health and appearance, especially if it’s a biennial.
4. Do foxgloves come back every year?
Biennial foxgloves flower in their second year and then die. Perennial varieties, however, will come back each year with proper care.
