When/how can I thin my crocosmia?

Larumbelle

The crocosmia lucifer lives up to its name and has taken over the garden! Actually, it did ever since we moved in. I need to thin it, I'm assuming I just dig up the bulbs and take some out, is that right? And if so, I'm assuming I've got to wait until winter?

Also... anyone fancy some crocosmia bulbs?! :whistle:

~Chameleon~

Is that the one that has orange flowers?

If so, I used to hate it with a passion as my parents had it all over their garden :rotfl:

I've now come to quite like it again though

I think you'll have to wait until foliage has died back then lift and divide the bulb clumps.

Larumbelle

Yep, it's the one with orange flowers, and I'm not a big fan myself. There's a tiny window where it looks lovely, and it does smother weeds (and everything else that gets in it's way) but it isn't my cup of tea at all. But as I don't own the house, it has to stay :rolleyes:

Anyway, thanks, that's pretty much what I expected.

victotoro

Hi, I've had a few gardens with the orange (not Lucifier btw, Lucifer is scarlet) crocosmia. It can be quite invasive, and I used to pull it out anytime, you don't need to wait for winter, just get a fork under the clump and rip out the unwanted bits!
You can try offering it on Freecycle, but I used to just compost it.

jiblets1

Yeah, I had some from my parent's garden about a month and a half ago. We just dug them up and I planted them in my garden. They've taken fine to my garden and nothing special was done to them.

evilgoose

Yes I thought that Lucifier is the 'violent Red' coloured one. Very intense colour, but they can be invassive (my mum's got loads of the orange one, but she struggles with the Lucifier ironically as she prefers that one). Snails love to hide in it and the thrush is always in there having a rumage.

I think if you bury a fairly large pot in the ground (make sure its got some drainage holes in the bottom) and plant the Lucifier in that then it'll help stop it invading the rest of the garden so much.

I dont know if its the correct way, but the easiest way ive found is that wait for flowers to stop then dig them up when the leaves are still there, makes the bulbs much easier to find. And then plant else where or donate to your nxt door neighbour.