Deadheading questions

Hello all,
I've been doing two jobs in the garden recently - weeding and dead heading. I've been cutting the seed heads of Rudb eckia Marmalade I have growing and will sort them later, but I was wondering whether they should be cut back to the stems or not? I was also wondering whether my hosta (which has gone yellow, naturally) should be cut back or not, or is it true that the nutrients go back into the bulb? I've posted a picture of the hosta. Thanks

 

It comes down to personal preference to be honest! The leaves do look quite a good autumn colour to me, I'd leave them alone until they go mushy. If you've already removed your Rudbeckia seedheads, rather than leave stalks, it might look better to cut them back. You won't do any harm either way though. I tend to leave any perennials that retain their structure, they look great with frost on and also provide cover for various beneficial insects. I like to go out in the spring and cut back and use a soft plastic rake to leave everywhere all new and fresh looking! The exceptions are anything that's just turned wet and mushy and isn't providing any winter protection and doesn't look good either.

 

Hi Acather. I would agree with Theruralgardener, its largely personal preference. However there is an argument that leaving top growth on over winter gives a small amount of extra protection, so I think that a number of people in the North feel it better to do this. It also gives a bit of added interest as The rural gardener said.

I don't know anything about hostas, but there is a general principle with bulbs that you leave the leaves on as long as you can. They do generate food that will be stored in the bulb for use in the following year. Christopher Lloyd (ex Great Dixter) used to say that if you must lift tulip bulbs when they are still in leaf, you should lay them out somewhere where the leaves are in the sun as they will still make food even when out of the ground. However this probably refers to bulbs that only produce leaves for a limited time, when its important to get all the goodness that you can. Hostas, by contrast, are in leaf for a very long time so I suspect that it wouldn't make much difference.

 

Hiya acather96, don't know where you are in the country but I'm in the mild sw of Cornwall. My,hostas are just,like yours..as everybody elses' too......and I will be splitting soon. Hostas are very hardy. I dig them up and plant clumps back in the ground or into large pots. I used to sell plants and did this every year. Hostas look great in groups of 3 or 5 as do most,plants and,this is what i try to do. Hostas dont form bulbs....they are just clumps,of roots. You can push a spade down the centre or use a knife. Don't be afraid to do this. Cut in half. If you are,nervous keep,in greenhouse or cover with fleece, but you really won't lose them. Next spring sprinkle some fertiliser around them and a few slug pellets and watch,them grow. You will amaze yourself with your new "skills" and will have gained confidence in doing this. oh! I cut all leaves back with scissors just to clean them up and check for slugs n snails too