OK To Cut Back Spent Crocosmia?

[Fleemo]

When can I cut back my spent crocosmia? The flowers are long gone,
but long iris-like blades remain, still green, but flopped over
looking terrible. Can I cut them back now, or are they like irises
that must be left alone until they turn brown and shrivel?

Thanks.

-F

[madgardener]

I don't do anything to mine until the leaves turn completely brown and
loosen from the corms. In my case here in Eastern Tennessee, that can
sometimes take as long as late winter. These things tend to flop all over.
That's why I purchased a grid support ring this year and positioned it over
the area where the crocosmia were at to support the newly emerging leaves
and later the flowering stems. And yes, the leaves feed the corms. One
year I got energetic and was going to clean up the Lucifer crocosmia. When
I pulled at the tan leaves, the corms came out of the ground and I
discovered that I had a stack of corms growing on top of each previous
year's. When I replanted them, they never resprouted. The ones down in the
woods box on the other hand are just fine and I never remember to clean the
stems up. These are just some of those plants that take awhile to tidy up.
madgardener who has the Montbretia orange ones and the Lucifer's and is
hunting for those yellow ones with the name George in them............

--
Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
All things are bound together.
All things connect." Chief Seattle
"Fleemo" <flee...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:79a519dd.04081...@posting.google.com...

[Fleemo]

> I don't do anything to mine until the leaves turn completely brown and
> loosen from the corms.

That's what I thought. Pretty unsightly though. :/

>These things tend to flop all over.<

Sure enough. In fact, many things in my garden were very floppy this
year, including the Black Eyed Susans and Coreopsis. Guess it's time
to invest in some supports.

One more question... the Crocosmia is laden with seeds. Is this a
good way to propogate it, or does it take too long for a Crocosmia
grown from seed to flower?

Thanks for the info!

-F

[madgardener]

bulbs or corms from seed take three years..........and yes those grids at
Lowes are a good investment. Check to see if Wally world has them in their
nursery department and reduced. Better chance to get them cheaper. I used
to and still use those three ringed tomato cages and cut them with wire
cutters to use as small supports for some perennials. This year I've
resorted to usiing anything that will brace up things.......I have a swamp
sunflower that is threatening to take out my car LOL
madgardener

--
Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
All things are bound together.
All things connect." Chief Seattle
"Fleemo" <flee...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:79a519dd.04081...@posting.google.com...

[madgardener]

it's good to try to be brave about it Janet (how the heck
ARE you!!! it's great to see yer face!!)
madgardener

--
Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
All things are bound together.
All things connect." Chief Seattle

"Janet Baraclough.." <janet.a...@flobalobzetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:200408111...@flobalobzetnet.co.uk...
> The message <411a0627$1...@news.vic.com>
> from "madgardener" <mad...@vic.com> contains these words:

>
> > madgardener who has the Montbretia orange ones and the Lucifer's and is
> > hunting for those yellow ones with the name George in them............
>

> George Davidson or Davison.
>
> Other yellow ones are solfaterre, Norwich canary, Buttercup.
>
> (I have a crocosmia addiction problem, but I'm being brave about it.)
>
> Janet
>