Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 09:03 pm
What gardener does not know him, lady’s mantle. It is known for its unpretentious and easy care. To enjoy it for a long time, it should be subjected to pruning from time to time. But why and how to do this?
Cut for harvesting
If you want to enjoy the healing properties of lady’s mantle, you should harvest the plant in time. With the onset of flowering period begins to harvest it . This involves cutting off the leaves and stems, as well as the flowers.
The harvested herb can be dried after harvesting to make it last longer. Be careful not to expose lady’s mantle to excessive heat or direct sunlight when drying. This would cause the plant parts to turn brown and lose active ingredients.
Later, you can do all sorts of things with the dried herb. For example, it is suitable for making tea, poultices, ointments and mouthwashes. Among other things, it has the following effects
- promotes the flow of milk during breastfeeding
- relaxes the uterus
- anti-inflammatory
- soothing
- analgesic
- blood purifying
- stimulates blood circulation
Pruning before the onset of winter and pruning afterwards
Another pruning is done every year before the onset of winter. This is when lady’s mantle undergoes severe pruning. Cut the long and withered flower stalks down to the ground in the fall.
If necessary, you can additionally remove old foliage. But be careful: leave some foliage on the plant. It acts as a natural frost protection during the winter. It protects the plant’s horsts from winter wetness, snow and ice.
After winter has passed and the warmer days of spring are knocking, you can proceed with cleanup pruning. Begin as soon as lady’s mantle is about to sprout vigorously again. Cut off any plant parts that are a nuisance and look unsightly.
Prune to extend the blooming season
Another reason to cut lady’s mantle is to extend its blooming season. Usually, the herb blooms for several weeks in June. If the old flower stalks are cut off after the flowers fade, new flower spikes will form a short time later and flowering will continue until September. The flower stalks are simply cut off close to the ground.
This cutting after the flowering period has the additional effect of preventing the plant from self-seeding. Also, it does not lose too much vigor by forming its seed stalks and the leaves retain their healthy appearance.
Pruning is also worthwhile during the flowering period. You can cut the freshly bloomed inflorescences and create a bouquet with them, for example. These cut flowers last a long time in the vase compared to other cut flowers.
Tips & Tricks
Use either sharp scissors or pruning shears for cutting. Clean the tool beforehand so that there is no risk of transferring diseases from previous cuts to lady’s mantle.