I have Solomon's Seal in the bed in front of my house. It's getting very tall and ungainly. Is there a best time/best way to trim it down?
Hello,
Thank you for sending us your gardening question.
The best time to prune Solomon Seal is in the early spring. You can also divide it at this time, if desired. If you are pruning to control growth, cut back as little of the live plant as possible.
Here are a couple of articles you might find helpful:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/solomons-seal/caring-for-solomons-seal.htm
Please let us know if you have any other gardening questions and happy gardening!
Thanks
Gardening Know How
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How do I know when to collect the seeds?
It is recommended to pick seeds right before they fall off of the plant. Typically, the area around and near the seeds will start to change colors signalling that the seeds are nearing maturity. As you watch your plants more and more, you will learn what the seeds look like as they ripen. Here is an article with more information about the plant: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/kiss-me-over-garden-gate/kiss-me-over-garden-gate.htm
How do I get rid of kiss me over the gate plant? It got in my garden and is now taking over.
When a plant takes over, it can be hard to eradicate. Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate is an annual that reseeds so that is why it continues. One thing you can do if you see plants with seedheads is cut off the seedheads before they drop.
If the plants are hard to pull up, spray them with glyphosate to eliminate them. Because of the seeds that may be in the soil, it may take some time to completely eradicate it. Watch each summer for the offending plant to come up and remove it immediately, before it has a chance to grow and drop seed.
What about other plants, do you have somewhere to direct me to?
Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate is an annual that readily reseeds.
You can search our website: http://www.gardeningknowhow.com for information on other plants.