2024 May 28 The Chelsea Chop

 Monarch caterpillars like to chomp on the freshest, newest leaves of the Milkweed Asclepias sp. plants. When we raised Monarchs last year, we read online forums that told us to chop our plants early in the season to encourage branching and fresh leaves. It was hard for us to imagine hacking our plants. However, after seeing what the caterpillars do to the plants, I can see that Milkweed is used to being devoured and cut all the way back to the stems even. It’s part of their symbiotic relationship. They evolved being eaten by the caterpillars.

This Milkweed flopped on top of Buddha last year, so maybe the Chelsea Chop will help stabilize it. I’ll update on the progress. 

Apparently lots of gardeners have known about pruning their perennials in half at this time of year. The “Chelsea Chop” is common around the time of the Chelsea Flower Show. I don’t know about the flower show, but I did do a few cuts around the garden, mostly on my Milkweeds and my Maximillian Sunflower Helianthus Maximillani. The sunflowers get like nine feet tall and flop all over. Maybe this year they will bush up a bit. We’ll see. 

I’m only doing a few chops on my Phlox. I hesitate because I’ve been waiting to see these bloom this year. Gardening is always an experiment so I won’t sacrifice them all!

I learned you can Chelsea Chop all kinds of species, but it’s important to check the species if you’re unfamiliar. It’s worth a quick Google search. Certain plants don’t branch when chopped, like Gayfeather Liatris Spicata. I might do my Phlox Phlox divaricata tonight too, but it’s hard to cut off a plant that is almost in bloom!