Pruning bugleweed
Advice for October in the Netherlands
Bugleweed forms a low, often evergreen carpet and need not be stripped bare each year. Contain runners where necessary and cut old flower spikes above the foliage. The months are a guide for gardens in the Netherlands and Belgium; growth stage and weather take priority.
Bugleweed — October
Check this first
Retain the low healthy canopy. Cutting bugleweed is mainly selective tidying and containment; a bare winter cut is unnecessary.
Pay attention to this
- Cut flower spikes above, not through, the low leaf rosettes.
- Check edges beside lawns and small neighbouring plants for rooting runners.
- Soft rotting rosettes also call for checking wetness and air circulation.
Frequently asked questions
- Must bugleweed be mown?
- No. In a border, cut spent spikes above the leaves with scissors; the healthy carpet remains intact.
- Does deadheading stop it spreading?
- No, Ajuga reptans produces creeping runners. Check and contain them separately.
- Why do brown gaps appear in the mat?
- Check for rotting rosettes in wet, crowded conditions. Hard cutting alone does not correct those growing conditions.