Cutting Oriental poppies, delphiniums, and geraniums back in winter?

Hi

I've cut back my Oriental poppies, Gernaiums and Delphiniums down to the ground yesterday because they looked really messy. Is this okay with these types of plants? I'm worried it may affect theer blooms next year.

cheers

 

Will be fine Shaneoak

 

Phew! Thanks. As a side not, i know it's a slightly different topic-but some of my Delphiniums seem to be coming into bloom now, with just a few days away from Yorkshire getting sever frosts?? Do they normally do this?

 

Ha ha, my delphiniums ....some of them...have flowered 4 times this year. 'Tis the seasons and the weather. Just enjoy Shaneoak
The most criticial time for delphiniums is spring when the new shoots are attacked by slugs n snails so watch for this

 

I have never cut my geraniums back in the winter. Never thought they looked messy. In fact, love the color the leaves change to and how they peek out in the snow in the dead of winter. Have had these for going on 20 years or more.

 

little to late to ask. you did what you did. your just going to have to wait and see.

 

Will be absolutely fine Shaneoak. No doubt whatsoever as you will discover next spring.
I cut mine back despite them likely to flower over the winter down here. In some of the clumps I have snowdrops and with the geranium foliage removed they look superb
Post an update then Shaneoak cos feedback is great

 

Cutting these kind of plants back is a must for me, it would be impossible to clean the beds for mulching around the plants. With all that droopy foliage I`d be ''base over apex'' tripping over it - not a pretty sight
It is also a time to dig out and split the geraniums - then you`ll have loads more flowers for free next year

 

I have been giving away tons of my geraniums to local neighbors. recently able to scope out two tree stumps and fill with soil. put some in there, hoping for a mounding effect next year.

 

I have a couple of Rozanne and Jolly Geraniums at least 2 metres across and a metre high producing flowers all summer long.....now cut back. , People always asking for divisions.

Agree with you Tetters about mulching plants....without cutting back this would be an impossible task. Besides the winter garden all mulched and clean shows off the newly emerging bulbs, hellebores etc

 

our gardens are uniquely designed different. I have no issue mulching around my uncut geraniums. and all new spring showings have wonderful "clean" areas to come up in April.
My geraniums really don't need a "dig out" to split them. The have very shallow roots, am able to just pull from the edges and cut off the roots.

 

I appreciate and respect everybody's way of gardening.....yes, we do many things our own way.
Not all hardy geraniums have shallow roots of course......some have deep roots, Elke for example that I have recently dug up and divided, but although I have cut back an awful lot of stuff, as always, growth of hellebores and others are already making their mark

 

Been googling around, seems they are "all known to be shallow roots" was keeping open minded with your statement, a possible to learn more. However, they are shallow rooting plants.

 

I find it much easier to do mine the same way as Monty Don. Whip `em out. carve `em up, and shove `em in pots for next year - much easier in the potting shed than mucking about outside on hands and knees in the dirt.

 

Ditto Tetters