The way to Prune Hyssop

The way to Prune Hyssop

Prized for its edible leaves and showy purple blossoms, hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) is an evergreen herb cultivated during U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 to 10. It requires little maintenance or maintenance once established at a sunny bed with fast-draining, alkaline soil. However, hyssop will appear and bloom best if it’s routinely pruned to support abundant foliage growth along with a tidy, compact form. Additionally, hyssop has to be lightly pruned throughout the summer months to remove the spent flower stalks since they will prolifically self-sow when left to set seed.

Prune hyssop any time from early spring to midsummer. Do not prune the plants after late summer since this will cause new growth to emerge late in the season, and it may be damaged at the first autumn frost.

Sanitize your pruning shears before utilizing them to prune hyssop plants. Saturate the blades with a solution made of half water and half rubbing alcohol. Allow the solution sit for five minutes, then rinse it off.

Water that the hyssop plant the afternoon before pruning it. Run a hose at the bottom of the stems until the soil feels fairly moist at the upper 3 to 5 inches. Allow the water soak in immediately, and prune in the morning once the weather is cool.

Prune hyssop in early spring to create a compact shape with thick leaf cover. Cut back the entire plant to within 2 inches of the ground using your freshly cleaned pruning shears. Make the cuts just above a set of leaves to support heavy branching.

Trim hyssop periodically throughout the summer months to maintain the plant’s uniform look. Prune back any excessively long or out-of-place stems so they are flush with the main crown.

Snip off and discard the damaged or dead stems as required during the growing season. Prune them off in the base, taking care not to accidentally cut or pinch the encompassing stems.

Remove the flower stalks after they fade but before they set seed to stop self-sowing. Snip off the flower stalks at the base. Collect up the pruned stalks and remove them at a green-waste can rather than composting them.

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