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Annuals/Firepokers

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Expert: - 9/29/2007


Question
Looks like you are the only one hanging in there so I direct my question to you and hope you can help. I am looking for info on the care of Firepokers. The only site that I found just gave me a picture, no info about cutting back, dividing, etc. Do you know what site I could go to to get this, or do you know?
Thanks for any help.
Joan

Answer
Joan,
Firepoker, aka Red Hot Poker or Torch Lily (Kniphofia) can be divided in the spring or late fall. They frequently take about two or three years to bloom again after dividing...they're sort of like peonies that way.   If you live in a zone 6 or 7 (gets to 0 in the winter or below) leave the foliage through the winter and you might even want to mulch it with hay or pine branches.  If you live where it's warm you can cut the foliage back in November or anytime in the winter - leave four inches or so of leaves and stems.  In really mild areas you can just trim off browned foliage and leave the rest.

If you google the botanic name Kniphofia you'll get more information.

I hope this helps!
C.L.

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C.L. Fornari

Expertise

Annuals suggested for specific situations (sun, shade, windowboxes etc) New or unusual annuals are a particular interest of mine, and I grow many of these from seed. I am happy to help problem solve, answer questions about maintenance, and guide you to sources of unusual plants.

Experience

I am a garden writer/speaker/consultant and host of a weekly gardening radio program in the Northeast. I have been gardening all my life for my own pleasure, and started as a professional gardener and garden communicator 15 years ago. I work part-time at a garden center, selling and tending shrubs/trees/annuals/perennials...and doing some propagation and design work. I often think that all these professional activities serve to put a somewhat legitimate framework around a serious case of plant-lust.

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