Sorry if I'm asking something I "should" know, but all these many years of gardening, I've never understood whether it's OK to cut part-way off leaves that are dried and ugly from the tips half-way down.

Does it upset the plant (Clivia is what I'm on about at the moment) if I "clean up" the look of the flower bed? Will the remaining part of the leaf continue to feed the plant?

Or does cutting off part of a leaf degrade its function?

TIA

HB

On 5/21/2014 2:01 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:
Sorry if I'm asking something I "should" know, but all these many years of gardening, I've never understood whether it's OK to cut part-way off leaves that are dried and ugly from the tips half-way down.

Does it upset the plant (Clivia is what I'm on about at the moment) if I "clean up" the look of the flower bed? Will the remaining part of the leaf continue to feed the plant?

Or does cutting off part of a leaf degrade its function?

TIA

HB


I generally leave a small margin of dead leaf, about 1/2 inch. I think
the remaining leaf cannot be affected since anything in the dead area
already stopped contributing any substances produced during the dying.
On the other hand, cutting into the live or currently dying portion of a
leaf might promote further dying.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 2:40:23 PM UTC-7, David E. Ross wrote:
On 5/21/2014 2:01 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:

Sorry if I'm asking something I "should" know, but all these many years of gardening, I've never understood whether it's OK to cut part-way off leaves that are dried and ugly from the tips half-way down.



Does it upset the plant (Clivia is what I'm on about at the moment) if I "clean up" the look of the flower bed? Will the remaining part of the leaf continue to feed the plant?



Or does cutting off part of a leaf degrade its function?



TIA



HB





I generally leave a small margin of dead leaf, about 1/2 inch. I think

the remaining leaf cannot be affected since anything in the dead area

already stopped contributing any substances produced during the dying.

On the other hand, cutting into the live or currently dying portion of a

leaf might promote further dying.

Yikes!!! I DID cut into live portion!!! Over-zealous tidying up?
Anybody have solid info about whether that "might promote further dying" ?References?

TIA

HB

On 5/21/2014 7:07 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 2:40:23 PM UTC-7, David E. Ross wrote:
On 5/21/2014 2:01 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:

Sorry if I'm asking something I "should" know, but all these many years of gardening, I've never understood whether it's OK to cut part-way off leaves that are dried and ugly from the tips half-way down.



Does it upset the plant (Clivia is what I'm on about at the moment) if I "clean up" the look of the flower bed? Will the remaining part of the leaf continue to feed the plant?



Or does cutting off part of a leaf degrade its function?



TIA



HB





I generally leave a small margin of dead leaf, about 1/2 inch. I think

the remaining leaf cannot be affected since anything in the dead area

already stopped contributing any substances produced during the dying.

On the other hand, cutting into the live or currently dying portion of a

leaf might promote further dying.

Yikes!!! I DID cut into live portion!!! Over-zealous tidying up?
Anybody have solid info about whether that "might promote further dying" ?References?

TIA

HB


Internet directions I got for propagating hydrangeas was to cut off top
half of leaves on cuttings. I've done it and it worked fine.

Higgs Boson wrote:

Sorry if I'm asking something I "should" know, but all these many years of gardening,
I've never understood whether it's OK to cut part-way off leaves that are dried and
ugly from the tips half-way down. Does it upset the plant (Clivia is what I'm on about
at the moment) if I "clean up" the look of the flower bed? Will the remaining part of
the leaf continue to feed the plant? Or does cutting off part of a leaf degrade its
function?


If just a few leaves out of hundreds I'd simply pinch them off for
aethetic reasons, but if many leaves are browning I'd think it would
be much more important to find out why.

On 22/05/2014 9:07 AM, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 2:40:23 PM UTC-7, David E. Ross wrote:
On 5/21/2014 2:01 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:

Sorry if I'm asking something I "should" know, but all these many years of gardening, I've never understood whether it's OK to cut part-way off leaves that are dried and ugly from the tips half-way down.



Does it upset the plant (Clivia is what I'm on about at the moment) if I "clean up" the look of the flower bed? Will the remaining part of the leaf continue to feed the plant?



Or does cutting off part of a leaf degrade its function?



TIA



HB





I generally leave a small margin of dead leaf, about 1/2 inch. I think

the remaining leaf cannot be affected since anything in the dead area

already stopped contributing any substances produced during the dying.

On the other hand, cutting into the live or currently dying portion of a

leaf might promote further dying.

Yikes!!! I DID cut into live portion!!! Over-zealous tidying up?
Anybody have solid info about whether that "might promote further dying" ?References?

I agree with David Ross.

Dead is dead. Live parts on a leaf would still function to feed the
plant.

"David E. Ross" writes:

On 5/21/2014 2:01 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:
Sorry if I'm asking something I "should" know, but all these many
years of gardening, I've never understood whether it's OK to cut
part-way off leaves that are dried and ugly from the tips half-way
down.

Does it upset the plant (Clivia is what I'm on about at the moment)
if I "clean up" the look of the flower bed? Will the remaining part
of the leaf continue to feed the plant?

Or does cutting off part of a leaf degrade its function?

I generally leave a small margin of dead leaf, about 1/2 inch. I think
the remaining leaf cannot be affected since anything in the dead area
already stopped contributing any substances produced during the dying.
On the other hand, cutting into the live or currently dying portion of a
leaf might promote further dying.

I cut off enough to make the plant look good again.
Dead leaf just doesn't look attractive to me.

Most plants can take a little abuse.

--
Dan Espen

On 5/21/2014 4:07 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 2:40:23 PM UTC-7, David E. Ross wrote:
On 5/21/2014 2:01 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:

Sorry if I'm asking something I "should" know, but all these many years of gardening, I've never understood whether it's OK to cut part-way off leaves that are dried and ugly from the tips half-way down.



Does it upset the plant (Clivia is what I'm on about at the moment) if I "clean up" the look of the flower bed? Will the remaining part of the leaf continue to feed the plant?



Or does cutting off part of a leaf degrade its function?



TIA



HB





I generally leave a small margin of dead leaf, about 1/2 inch. I think

the remaining leaf cannot be affected since anything in the dead area

already stopped contributing any substances produced during the dying.

On the other hand, cutting into the live or currently dying portion of a

leaf might promote further dying.

Yikes!!! I DID cut into live portion!!! Over-zealous tidying up?
Anybody have solid info about whether that "might promote further dying" ?References?

TIA

HB


If I cut away the dead part of a large leaf and remove some of the live,
green part, a further dead area will appear. I have observed this but
have not a seen a documented source.

I especially see this with bearded iris. When I divide a clump of iris,
I trim the roots to eliminate any torn or broken roots. I then trim the
fan of leaves to reduce the demand for moisture from traumatized roots.
The leaves develop dead areas 1/4 to 1/2 inch at the cuts.

I also see this in such house plants as Aloe vera, Dracaena, Cordyline,
and a bromeliad. I also see this in my outdoor Cymbidium orchid and
daylilies.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 5:37:12 PM UTC-7, Fran Farmer wrote:
On 22/05/2014 9:07 AM, Higgs Boson wrote:

On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 2:40:23 PM UTC-7, David E. Ross wrote:

On 5/21/2014 2:01 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:



Sorry if I'm asking something I "should" know, but all these many years of gardening, I've never understood whether it's OK to cut part-way off leaves that are dried and ugly from the tips half-way down.







Does it upset the plant (Clivia is what I'm on about at the moment) if I "clean up" the look of the flower bed? Will the remaining part of the leaf continue to feed the plant?







Or does cutting off part of a leaf degrade its function?







TIA







HB











I generally leave a small margin of dead leaf, about 1/2 inch. I think



the remaining leaf cannot be affected since anything in the dead area



already stopped contributing any substances produced during the dying.



On the other hand, cutting into the live or currently dying portion of a



leaf might promote further dying.



Yikes!!! I DID cut into live portion!!! Over-zealous tidying up?

Anybody have solid info about whether that "might promote further dying" ?References?



I agree with David Ross.

Dead is dead. Live parts on a leaf would still function to feed the

plant.

? How does that address what David said? His practice, if I read it right, was to leave a tiny bit of dead leaf because cutting into the live MIGHT be deleterious to plant.


HB

On 22/05/2014 1:34 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 5:37:12 PM UTC-7, Fran Farmer wrote:
On 22/05/2014 9:07 AM, Higgs Boson wrote:

On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 2:40:23 PM UTC-7, David E. Ross wrote:

On 5/21/2014 2:01 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:



Sorry if I'm asking something I "should" know, but all these many years of gardening, I've never understood whether it's OK to cut part-way off leaves that are dried and ugly from the tips half-way down.







Does it upset the plant (Clivia is what I'm on about at the moment) if I "clean up" the look of the flower bed? Will the remaining part of the leaf continue to feed the plant?







Or does cutting off part of a leaf degrade its function?







TIA







HB











I generally leave a small margin of dead leaf, about 1/2 inch. I think



the remaining leaf cannot be affected since anything in the dead area



already stopped contributing any substances produced during the dying.



On the other hand, cutting into the live or currently dying portion of a



leaf might promote further dying.



Yikes!!! I DID cut into live portion!!! Over-zealous tidying up?

Anybody have solid info about whether that "might promote further dying" ?References?



I agree with David Ross.

Dead is dead. Live parts on a leaf would still function to feed the

plant.

? How does that address what David said? His practice, if I read it right, was to leave a tiny bit of dead leaf because cutting into the live MIGHT be deleterious to plant.

David cuts off the dead bits. He leaves the live bits. The fact that
David leaves a tiny bit of live leaf is not inconsistent with what I
wrote.

On Thursday, May 22, 2014 11:46:44 PM UTC-7, Fran Farmer wrote:
On 22/05/2014 1:34 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:

On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 5:37:12 PM UTC-7, Fran Farmer wrote:

On 22/05/2014 9:07 AM, Higgs Boson wrote:



On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 2:40:23 PM UTC-7, David E. Ross wrote:



On 5/21/2014 2:01 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:







Sorry if I'm asking something I "should" know, but all these many years of gardening, I've never understood whether it's OK to cut part-way off leaves that are dried and ugly from the tips half-way down.







Does it upset the plant (Clivia is what I'm on about at the moment) if I "clean up" the look of the flower bed? Will the remaining part of the leaf continue to feed the plant?


Or does cutting off part of a leaf degrade its function?














I generally leave a small margin of dead leaf, about 1/2 inch. I think







the remaining leaf cannot be affected since anything in the dead area


already stopped contributing any substances produced during the dying.


On the other hand, cutting into the live or currently dying portion of a


leaf might promote further dying.

Yikes!!! I DID cut into live portion!!! Over-zealous tidying up?



Anybody have solid info about whether that "might promote further dying" ?References?


I agree with David Ross.



Dead is dead. Live parts on a leaf would still function to feed the plant.



? How does that address what David said? His practice, if I read it right, was to leave a tiny bit of dead leaf because cutting into the live MIGHT be deleterious to plant.



David cuts off the dead bits. He leaves the live bits. The fact that

David leaves a tiny bit of live leaf is not inconsistent with what I

wrote.

Look back. He said he leaves a tin bit of DEAD leaf. Question of aesthetics,
or question of plant function?

HB

On 24/05/2014 3:30 AM, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Thursday, May 22, 2014 11:46:44 PM UTC-7, Fran Farmer wrote:


On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 2:40:23 PM UTC-7, David E. Ross wrote:

Or does cutting off part of a leaf degrade its function?


I generally leave a small margin of dead leaf, about 1/2 inch. I think
the remaining leaf cannot be affected since anything in the dead area
already stopped contributing any substances produced during the dying.


I agree with David Ross.

Dead is dead. Live parts on a leaf would still function to feed the plant.



? How does that address what David said? His practice, if I read it right, was to leave a tiny bit of dead leaf because cutting into the live MIGHT be deleterious to plant.



David cuts off the dead bits. He leaves the live bits. The fact that
David leaves a tiny bit of live leaf is not inconsistent with what I

wrote.

Look back. He said he leaves a tin bit of DEAD leaf. Question of aesthetics,
or question of plant function?

Reread. I've left in the pertinent bits and snipped the rest since you
seem to be confused.

David said he cuts off dead bits and says the dead bit he's cut off is
not contributing substances. I said that dead is dead but live feeds
the plant. They both say the same thing, or they should.

Fran Farmer wrote:
On 24/05/2014 3:30 AM, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Thursday, May 22, 2014 11:46:44 PM UTC-7, Fran Farmer wrote:


On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 2:40:23 PM UTC-7, David E. Ross wrote:

Or does cutting off part of a leaf degrade its function?


I generally leave a small margin of dead leaf, about 1/2 inch. I
think the remaining leaf cannot be affected since anything in
the dead area already stopped contributing any substances
produced during the dying.


I agree with David Ross.

Dead is dead. Live parts on a leaf would still function to feed
the plant.



? How does that address what David said? His practice, if I read
it right, was to leave a tiny bit of dead leaf because cutting
into the live MIGHT be deleterious to plant.



David cuts off the dead bits. He leaves the live bits. The fact
that David leaves a tiny bit of live leaf is not inconsistent with
what I wrote.

Look back. He said he leaves a tin bit of DEAD leaf. Question of
aesthetics, or question of plant function?

Reread. I've left in the pertinent bits and snipped the rest since
you seem to be confused.

David said he cuts off dead bits and says the dead bit he's cut off is
not contributing substances. I said that dead is dead but live feeds
the plant. They both say the same thing, or they should.

Oooh! Intercontinental (incontinent?) ballistic keyboards! We haven't had
a deathmatch since Shelly last stepped out of line.

D

On 5/23/2014 4:56 PM, Fran Farmer wrote:

Reread. I've left in the pertinent bits and snipped the rest since you
seem to be confused.

David said he cuts off dead bits and says the dead bit he's cut off is
not contributing substances. I said that dead is dead but live feeds
the plant. They both say the same thing, or they should.


I cut away the dead bits. However, I leave a very small portion of dead
so as not to injure any live portion of the leaf.

At least, that is what I meant.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

On Friday, May 23, 2014 5:24:15 PM UTC-7, David Hare-Scott wrote:
Fran Farmer wrote:

On 24/05/2014 3:30 AM, Higgs Boson wrote:

On Thursday, May 22, 2014 11:46:44 PM UTC-7, Fran Farmer wrote:





On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 2:40:23 PM UTC-7, David E. Ross wrote:



Or does cutting off part of a leaf degrade its function?





I generally leave a small margin of dead leaf, about 1/2 inch. I

think the remaining leaf cannot be affected since anything in

the dead area already stopped contributing any substances

produced during the dying.





I agree with David Ross.



Dead is dead. Live parts on a leaf would still function to feed

the plant.







? How does that address what David said? His practice, if I read

it right, was to leave a tiny bit of dead leaf because cutting

into the live MIGHT be deleterious to plant.







David cuts off the dead bits. He leaves the live bits. The fact

that David leaves a tiny bit of live leaf is not inconsistent with

what I wrote.



Look back. He said he leaves a tin bit of DEAD leaf. Question of

aesthetics, or question of plant function?



Reread. I've left in the pertinent bits and snipped the rest since

you seem to be confused.



David said he cuts off dead bits and says the dead bit he's cut off is

not contributing substances. I said that dead is dead but live feeds

the plant. They both say the same thing, or they should.



Oooh! Intercontinental (incontinent?) ballistic keyboards! We haven't had

a deathmatch since Shelly last stepped out of line.

Down, boy! On this NG all is peace, friendship, and the occasional mild editing contretemps.

HB