How to care for foxgloves?

Question

I just planted foxgloves in my flower bed. The instructions with the plant said to remove dead flowers. Now the dumb question, where do I cut them? Do I cut the whole stem or do I just pull off the dead flowers? this is the first time using these plants. Could fellow gardeners help out a novice. also, I have a rose bush I would like to move, It has been in the same spot for at least five yrs. What is the best way to do it and when. Thanks

Update:

thanks (ha ha), but not what i was looking for.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Foxgloves are great plants. But the first thing to remember with them is that they are POISONOUS. The seeds are used to make digitalis, a medicine they give to heart patients. Contact with the leaves can irritate your skin too.

Anyway, they really are beautiful plants. When deadheading the flowers - cut the entire flower head down to the the first set of double leaves you come to. If your really lucky they may bloom again.

As far as moving your rose - do it in Spring. Roses don't like to be moved when the weather is hot. Dig your new hole twice the size of your rosebush first. Dig out old rose, move cover with soil and pray for the best. Make sure the transplant is well watered through out the Summer.
Hope this helps

Beulah · Answer

For Foxgloves.  Cut the stem off below the bottom flower and they may produce more blooms.   In the autumn, cut the whole plant down to just above ground level. They will come back again next year.   They are easy flowers to look after as they require no special soil conditions.  

Foxgloves (Digitalis) are very beautiful in any garden.  They are the plant used to produce the heart medicine of the same name.  All parts of it are extremely poisonous.    So it is best placed to the back of a border where it cannot be touched by accident.  When you are cutting it back, always wear gloves.  The flowers, stalks and leaves are safe to add to the compost heap.  If allowed to go to seed they will spread very quickly.

For shifting your rose. It is best to do so in the Autumn or early Spring when the plant is still dormant.   but they can be moved at other times of the year.   

If you decide to shift it now, first cut it back to about a foot in length, water it well.   Decide where you want to move it to, and dig a hole there for it.   As the root will be a good size by now it will probably be quite deep, you will need to dig a hole 2 - 3 feet deep.  Make sure the bottom of the hole is loose soil and add some fresh compost or manure.   Dig round your rose and try to get it out without damaging the main root and keep a good ball of soil around its roots. 

Plant your rose in the new position with the crown of the plant at the same depth as it was at.   Fill in the hole firming the soil as you go,  then water well.  make sure it is kept watered until it is growing well.

Hope this helps

Beulah

Anonymous · Answer

keep your hands warm in winter

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How to care for foxgloves?

3 Answers