Do not remove yellowing leaves too early!
When the flowering period begins and the ornamental onion needs an incredible amount of energy and nutrients for its flowers, its leaves gradually turn yellow. That doesn't look particularly nice, of course. You quickly grab scissors and cut off the leaves. But be careful! You shouldn't make this mistake!
also read
- How toxic is the ornamental onion?
- Which location in the garden is suitable for the ornamental onion?
- How can the ornamental onion be overwintered?
The onion needs the nutrients
If you simply remove the yellowing leaves, you risk that the ornamental onion will die in the following year before flowering. The reason is that this plant needs the nutrients from the leaves for its bulb in the soil. The nutrients slowly migrate out of the leaves and into the bulb as the flowering period begins.
Only when the leaves are completely yellow - ideally properly dried out and lying on the ground - can they be removed without worry. They do not necessarily have to be cut off, but can also be pulled out.
Cover the ugly leaves with ground cover
If you are bothered by the increasingly yellow leaves of the plant, you should underplant it with ground cover in autumn or spring. It is ideal to do this when you plant the ornamental leek. The following ground covers are suitable, for example:
- low ornamental grasses
- Comfrey
- Lady's mantle
- Cranesbill
- Floribunda roses
- lavender
- Catnip
- oregano
Cut off the inflorescences or not
A cut does not necessarily have to be due. When the flowers wilt, you have the choice of cutting off old inflorescences or leaving them on the plant. If you choose the former to prevent the ornamental onion from seeding, you can simply cut off the flower stem at the base.
Leaving the inflorescences after the flowering period is also good, as they are extremely decorative when dried until late autumn. On the other hand, the ornamental onion can multiply via self-sowing or you can harvest the seeds.
Tips
Most of the ornamental leek varieties are perfect as cut flowers. They also look great in dry bouquets.
