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Chelsea Chop: How and When to Use It

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The Chelsea Chop is not a knife technique, ax throw, or dance move. A gardener term, the Chelsea Chop is a  pruning technique used on herbaceous perennials where you trim back the actively growing plant growth by 1/3 to 1/2 of its height, typically done in late spring, when the Chelsea Flower show is held. 

Jeana Phlox can get as tall as it wants in my meadow
The taller nepetas benefit from the Chelsea Chop. Read my post on Nepeta-The Perfectly Behaved Perennial

Encouraging bushier growth, stronger stems, and a more compact plant, it will delay or extend the flowering season, as well as improve the plant’s overall appearance. I hate to stake plants and half the time forget to do so before it is too late, but if I catch the perennials before they get too large, I don’t have to worry about that. 

Jeana Phlox can overwhelm my borders

I typically do the Chelsea Chop on my Jeana phlox as it can over-power other perennials in my border. Read about Jeana Phlox in my post Jeana Phlox – A Pollinator Superstar.

I grow it in my meadow where it can get as tall as it wants, but want it to be shorter in my perennial border.

Another plant that benefits from the Chelsea Chop is Helenium, the tall orange bloomer

Reasons:

  • Control Plant Growth:

    The Chelsea Chop aims to control plant growth, making it more compact and less prone to flopping or leaning. 

  • Timing:

    It’s typically performed in late spring, around the time of the Chelsea Flower Show in England. 

  • How much:

    You cut back the plant’s stems by roughly one-third to one-half of their length. This can be done with shears or pruning tools. 

    • Stronger stems: By cutting back the plant, it forces it to produce new, stronger stems. 
    • Bushier growth: The plant will develop more side shoots, creating a fuller and bushier appearance. 
    • Compactness: The plant will be shorter and more compact, which can be useful for taller perennials that you might have to stake otherwise. 
    • Delayed or extended flowering: Some plants will delay their flowering after being Chelsea Chopped, while others may see their flowering period extended. The plant will present a neater and tidier appearance.
      Plants suitable for Chelsea Chop:
      The later blooming perennials take very well to the Chelsea Chop. Many herbaceous perennials can benefit from this pruning method, including coreopsis, phlox, monarda, heliopsis, helenium, nepeta, chrysanthemums, and asters. 
      Taller monarda varieties benefit from the Chelsea Chop
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