Chelsea Chop :Sedums anyone?

[Emmylou]

Last year, I remember Carol Klein saying she cut back her sedums to stop them getting too tall and floppy, around the time of the Chelsea flower show, hence she said she gave them a Chelsea Chop.
I was going to try this this year, as mine always flop alover, and I never remeber to tie them up.
Just wondered if anyone has ever Chelsea Chopped, and if so how much do you chop off!!

[emilymup]

Will check last years Gardeners World magazine for you. There was an article about it and showed Carol doing the "chop"

[peanut]

I did it last year and will be doing it again anytime now. I cut back about a 1/3-1/2 and it grows back much stronger but not leggy so doesn't flop....i'd definatley recommend it for floopy Sedums!
You can also do it with lots of other tall late flowering perrenials, they just flower a little later and are shorter.
It looks good if you have a big clump and do the flowers at the front.

[Emmylou]

Thanks! I'll get chopping tomorrow......sedums, get worried!

[emilymup]

Hi Emmylou! I found the article in the May 2008 Gardeners World magazine and would be more than happy to copy it and post it to you if you pm your address!!

[RobintheBobin]

I chopped half of my sedums last year; the ones I left grew into glorious big saucepan lid sized heads and the ones I left grew lots of shorter and much smaller flowers...both looked good but I won't be chopping this year as I love the much more dramatic big heads.

[rana]

I tried this last year on hanging basket plants and they never fully recovered. I have a couple of Sedum spectabile plants so will chop just one and compare the results but until I find otherwise I suspect the 'Chelsea Chop' is a vicious ploy put about by jealous neighbours.