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ALLIUMS are bulbous perennials beloved by bees and other pollinators, but when should you cut them back?
By Kaisha Langton
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Alliums are beautiful pom-pom flowers that come in a range of shades. These plants can have a fantastic effect in your garden and bloom for weeks on end, bridging the gap between spring and summer. Alliums make fantastic cut flowers, both in fresh and dried flower arrangements.
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Alliums are known as flowering, ornamental onions which appear bold in design.
They have large rounded heads most commonly with purple flowers and pretty seedheads.
These plants come in a range of colours including blue, pink, yellow, white and mauve.
This unusual looking flower creates pom-pom shaped flower heads and grows best in sunny but sheltered areas.
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When to cut back alliums: When should you cut back alliums? (Image: GETTY)
When to cut back alliums: Alliums have large rounded heads (Image: GETTY)
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How to grow alliums
The best way to grow alliums is to ensure you have moist, but well-drained soil in full sun.
They grow most productively in low-growing herbaceous plants, which hide their unsightly strappy foliage after flowering.
Allium does not like damp sites or heavy soil so should not be planted in these conditions.
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When to cut back alliums: These plants enjoy moist, well-drained soil (Image: GETTY)
Allium bulbs should be planted in early to mid-autumn for the best results.
They can be planted into borders or in containers.
The bulbs are easily damaged, so it is best to plant alliums in an area that is not regularly cultivated to avoid harm to your plants.
When the plant is ready to produce flowers, the leaves will begin to die down.
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When to cut back alliums: Allium bulbs should be planted in early to mid-autumn (Image: GETTY)
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When to cut back alliums
Alliums make stunning floral displays, but once they have finished flowering they can begin to shrivel and fade to a yellow colour.
Some people enjoy this dried flower appearance and like to leave these plants in the ground despite the flowers dying off.
However, once the flowers have finished, you can remove them - but make sure not to remove the leaves.
When to cut back alliums: Alliums make stunning floral displays (Image: GETTY)
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Once the leaves have naturally died back, become shrivelled and turned yellow - you can cut back the leaves to ground level.
Every three to four years you should divide your allium bulbs at the same time as replacing some new one in the same area and in new positions.
To divide the bulbs, you should dig around the plant with a trowel and lift the bulbs out.
There should be a collection of bulbs, which you can separate gently with your hands.
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