Cutting blue pillows - when, how and how often?

Everything you need to know about cutting from the blue pillow

Stimulate a second bloom

When the first bloom is over, the old flowers are cut away. You can use standard secateurs for this. The idea behind this is that a second flower pile is stimulated in the year. Usually this cut is appropriate towards the end of May.

Prevent self-sowing

Furthermore, a cut can be made to prevent the fruit and its seeds from forming. Check regularly to see if flowers have wilted and fruit has already formed. This is what it means if you want to avoid self-sowing the plant.

Cut back before the onset of winter

Those who did not cut the flowers in May should nevertheless carry out a pruning in the course of summer and by September at the latest. This prepares the blue pillow for the approaching winter. Cut the shoots back in half!

Avoid aging of the plant

The blue pillow grows easily without pruning. But in order to be able to serve for a long time to green and visually enhance rock gardens, dry stone walls and the like, the cushion-forming and floor-covering blue pillow should be regularly cut back and lighted:

Cut away old shoots at the roots
remove crossing shoots
Remove dead and diseased parts of the plant as quickly as possible
Goal: Avoid balding from the inside
Result: bushy, compact growth

Gaining cuttings for propagation

In addition, a cut may be necessary in the course of propagation. Shoots for cuttings are easy to obtain. You should cut this off from the blue pillow in late summer. Put them in moist potting soil for rooting and do not plant them out until the next spring!

Harvest capsule fruits for sowing

Last but not least, you can cut the blue pillow to harvest its capsule fruits with the seeds. The pods are spherical to egg-shaped and ripen after the flowering period in summer. Cut them off before they open. Otherwise the seeds will fall out quickly.