On 22 Jun 2006 06:28:49 -0700, "canela"
wrote:

I have a well established overgrown heather bed, I would appreciate
suggestions on safe ways on how best to cut them back safely. Theyre
really 'woody' and 'lanky' at the bottom, so if its not possible to cut
them, do they have to be dug up/ replaced? all advice much appreciated.

IME some heathers will tolerate really hard pruning, but others just
die after the experience. A way you might try is to lift them and
replant in the same spot, but deeper, and fill in the top growth with
peaty compost so that only the tops are sticking up. These will root
into the compost, and bingo!, rejuvenated heathers. But don't do it
now, leave it until the autumn when the weather is less hot and dry,
and keep them moist.

In future, clip then annually to remove the dead flower heads and keep
them compact.

I had several heather beds for over twenty years at our previous
house, but eventually they started to develop heather sickness, and
not even new young plants would grow there. At that point we moved
house!


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net