From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening


I have a mggnificent self-sown foxglove right in the middle of my small
front garden/shrubbery. When it finishes flowering, I need to get rid of
it as it's right up against one of my hardy fuschias.
Can I just cut it off at the base or do I have to dig it out? I would
rather not dig it out as I might damage the fuchsia.
I assume it will have thrown enough seeds for them to grow again next
year although, beautiful as it is, my several hardy fuchsias are my
priority.
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From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

On 15/06/2025 20:55, Jim S wrote:

I have a mggnificent self-sown foxglove right in the middle of my small
front garden/shrubbery. When it finishes flowering, I need to get rid of
it as it's right up against one of my hardy fuschias.
Can I just cut it off at the base or do I have to dig it out? I would
rather not dig it out as I might damage the fuchsia.
I assume it will have thrown enough seeds for them to grow again next
year although, beautiful as it is, my several hardy fuchsias are my
priority.

Foxgloves are biennial. The plant will die after seeding, you don't need
to dig it out.
Those seeds won't produce flowers next year, but the year after. If you
look around it's possible you've got some baby foxglove plants as well
as the flowering one.

Andy
--
Do not listen to rumour, but, if you do, do not believe it.
Ghandi.
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From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

On Sun, 15 Jun 2025 20:55:58 +0100, Jim S <jim@geordieland.com> wrote:

I have a mggnificent self-sown foxglove right in the middle of my small >front garden/shrubbery. When it finishes flowering, I need to get rid of
it as it's right up against one of my hardy fuschias.
Can I just cut it off at the base or do I have to dig it out? I would
rather not dig it out as I might damage the fuchsia.
I assume it will have thrown enough seeds for them to grow again next
year although, beautiful as it is, my several hardy fuchsias are my >priority.

I always have a few foxgloves in my front garden. They appear
spontaneously, self-sown from a few years ago. If I don't want the
seed, I will wait until there are only a few flowers left on the top
of the stem, then catch hold of it close to its base and simply pull
it up. No digging involved. It will come up easily enough, the roots
are not deep. Bash them about a bit to shed the rest of the soil, and
put the stem plus soil-less roots onto the compost heap, or in the
bin, whatever.
--

Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall, very mild, sheltered
from the West, but open to the North and East.
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From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

On 15/06/2025 20:55, Jim S wrote:

I have a mggnificent self-sown foxglove right in the middle of my small
front garden/shrubbery. When it finishes flowering, I need to get rid of
it as it's right up against one of my hardy fuschias.
Can I just cut it off at the base or do I have to dig it out? I would
rather not dig it out as I might damage the fuchsia.
I assume it will have thrown enough seeds for them to grow again next
year although, beautiful as it is, my several hardy fuchsias are my
priority.

As Chris Hogg said you can usually just pull up a foxglove (ditto borage
and evening primrose).

Foxgloves are typically biennial (there are commercial seed strains said
to be annual) but the can act as short lived perennials; the flowering
shoot dies down, but offsets form at the base of the plant.
--
alias Ernest Major

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