During the summer months, we'll be spending more and more time outside in the soaking up the sun. So it's likely you want your garden and all of your looking as good as possible.
are a hugely popular choice, coming in a big range of gorgeous colours and styles. They come back into bloom year after year during the spring and the summer, dying back in the autumn and winter. However, if you really want them to thrive, then there's one key task that you'll want to do 'right now'.
on TikTok recently shared a helpful video on how to care for your perennial plants in order to encourage bigger, bushier flowers. With several options falling under this category, like campanula, aster and helianthus, this advice can be applied in many gardens.
He explained that now is a good time to carry out a task called the 'Chelsea chop', highlighting: "It's called the Chelsea chop because of the time of year that you do it, around the Chelsea flower show, so mid-May to early June."
What is the Chelsea chop?
According to the pro, this involves pruning various perennial plants by around 30-50 percent before summer to 'extend their flowering period'.
Michael said: "So you'll get a plant that's bushier, more compact, doesn't flop and you'll get flowers for longer."
There are two options when it comes to doing this. You can either cut back the whole plant, or you can simply cut back a section, which will give you a 'succession of flowers'.
Just identify the section that you want to cut back, and start to get to work with the secateurs. Michael said: "Don't even worry if it's in flower or about to flower, you can put this in a vase."
Doing this will equip you with two flowering areas in the one plant. Gesturing to his work, the expert continued: "The back is going to bloom, and as that's fading, the front is going to come into flower."
