Updated at: 31-05-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

Sedums are my “go-to” plant for lazy gardeners. With the exception of occasional watering, they can be planted and ignored. Sedum can be trimmed back. Sedum plants can be kept in check with careful pinching and clipping, but this isn’t necessary for the plant’s overall health and development. Removing the spent flower heads enhances the appearance of the plant and makes room for fresh development. To get the most out of your sedums, here are some recommendations on how to trim them.

When to Prune Sedum

Sedum plants belong to the Crassulaceae family and are widely regarded as easy-to-grow succulents. There are numerous shapes and sizes to pick from, making it easy to find the perfect one for your gardening needs. When sedum plants become overgrown and out of control, it isn’t necessary to cut them back.

When Should Sedum Be Pruned? | Hunker

Sedum plant pruning can rein in unruly growth and, in some situations, force thicker plants if you want a neat appearance. Knowing when to prune sedum plants isn’t harmful to the plant, but it can help maintain the starry flowers that most varieties produce. Sedum can be pruned at any time of year in warmer climates without damaging its health. However, the majority of pruning is done to remove the old flower heads and to keep the plant in balance. It’s possible that late-summer pruning of slower-growing plants will remove future flower heads.

It is possible to take out the old flowers at any moment. The bloom head is an appealing feature on some of the larger species, such as Autumn Joy stonecrop, and it will last throughout the winter. In the fall, you can remove these, or you can wait until the spring and remove them to the rosette base. In colder climates, the leaves will drop and be replaced with delicate new rosettes that will appear in the spring. The pruning back of sedum plants to the new growth helps this new growth develop and also creates a more neat plant.

How to Trim Sedum

Some of the smaller creeping or trailing species can be a little rambunctious. You can use clippers or pruners to remove the stems, or you can simply pinch them. Some sedum’s jointed stems just rip right off and can be used to start new plants. A bushier plant can be achieved by snipping back taller species between the months of May and June. As a result of this, flowering may be delayed, but the plant will be smaller. Trim the stems to 12 their original length in order to encourage horizontal development. Remove only the vertical, taller plant material, being cautious not to damage any side buds as you do so. When a plant dies or becomes infected, you can remove it at any time. The vast majority of it will simply snap off at the seams. In other sedum plants, pruning takes up to a third of growth at any given moment, however this can impact when the plant blooms.

How to Prune Sedum

Tips for Sedum Plant Pruning

Sedums have a remarkable capacity for tolerating a wide range of environmental stresses. Partial to full light in well-drained soil is all that is required for them to thrive. They can even withstand drought. Low light and heavy humidity are the two biggest enemies of these plants. To avoid spreading fungal spores into the plant, sterilize your cutting instruments. Prevent excessive plant damage by using sharp tools. Plants are more susceptible to stress throughout the winter months and in the hottest months of the year. Most sedum plants may be cared for in a casual manner, and they are extremely forgiving of most treatments. You should be able to enjoy the plants and their offspring for many years to come with a little practice.

Growth of Sedum Types

Sedum begins to grow in the early spring, forming little buds in the soil, according to the University of California. As a result, the optimal time to prune sedum is when this new growth is still in the process of establishing itself. In late winter or early spring, cut back the sedum’s wasted flower stalks to the base of the plant just above new growth. Pruning shears, loppers, or scissors with sterile blades should be used to make a single, clean cut on each old stem.

Showy Sedum should be divided every three years or so in early spring, and this will help maintain the plant vigor up and prevent the stems from collapsing, which can be dangerous.

Pinch Back or Cut Sedum

When the plant is 8 inches tall, pinch the top 4 inches of the stem back once throughout the growing season with your thumb and the fingernail on your index finger. A leaf node is the best place to cut the stem. To encourage branching and denser growth, pinch or trim low-growing sedum stems down to the leaf node anytime they spill over into a walkway. To avoid the spread of disease, clean any tools you use to cut your sedum plants with chlorine bleach for 30 minutes.

Sedum Care and Maintenance

There are a number of sedum care and maintenance suggestions you should keep in mind, no matter what kind of sedum you’re growing. Keep an eye on the sedum for fungal leaf spots, various diseases, severe pest activity, and damaged or dead stems all year long. Pests and diseases rarely affect Sedum, but if they do, you should remove the damaged parts of the plant immediately. To prevent the spread of illness, remove pieces of the sedum and dispose of them away from valuable plants.

Check to see that your sedum plants are receiving the basic care and maintenance they need after pruning. Sedum thrives in full sun and in soil that is well-drained. In full sun to partial shade and wet, well-draining soils, sedum thrives, according to researchers at Ohio State University. It is not tolerant of soils that are too moist or too poorly drained. Sedum is drought-tolerant, therefore it doesn’t need to be watered on a regular basis.

How To Grow And Propagate Sedum - Bunnings Australia

Best Time To Cut Back Sedum

The plant should be pruned back to the soil in the early spring. New growth will be able to emerge as a result of this. Using a pair of pruners, snip off the stems.

Summer — You may wish to trim the plant in half around May or June. Using this on a plant that has become very lanky and heavy will aid it. Make a clean incision directly above a set of leaves in the stalk. If you trim the stems too short, new blossoms will appear.

Maintenance pruning can be done at any time, although it is best done in the fall. Dead or unhealthy growth must be removed from time to time. Stalks that have died should be trimmed back to the healthy portion or the soil’s surface.

The intense heat and cold of the winter are not the best times to prune your trees. At this point, the plant is at its most vulnerable.

Why Do You Prune Sedum

Sedums are low-maintenance plants. A sedum does not need to be pruned in order to survive. Prune sedums to foster new growth, keep them in check as they spread, and to encourage another bloom. Sedums can reach incredible heights and weights when fully bloomed, causing their stems to flop or even snap. This will leave an unattractive gap in the middle of the plant. More flowers and a good spherical shape will follow from cutting the stalks back to the ground. Sedums can also be pruned to encourage more blooms later in the season. Excessive blooms should be cut back to encourage new growth.

Sedum Pruning Tips

  • To encourage new growth, prune in the early spring.
  • Cut back on flopping by pruning.
  • Using pruning shears, shape the plant as needed.
  • snip away diseased or dead stalks by hand if necessary.
  • Controlling overgrowth can be accomplished by the use of pruning.