Coneflower 'Green Jewel' in November: monthly care

Rudbeckia 'Green Jewel' requires minimal pruning, but a little attention keeps the plant tidy and vigorous. The main pruning window is in March or November, depending on your preference and garden style. Many gardeners leave the spent flower stems standing over winter—the seed heads provide food for finches and add structural interest when rimed with frost—then cut everything back in early March before new growth emerges. Alternatively, tidy the plant in November after flowering finishes and the foliage has died back, cutting all stems down to a basal rosette of leaves or to within 5–10 cm of ground level. Use clean, sharp secateurs or garden shears for the job. Remove all old flowering stems, cutting just above the emerging crown or new shoots if pruning in spring. Also remove any dead, damaged, or diseased foliage to reduce overwintering pests and fungal spores. If you prune in autumn, leave a few centimetres of stem as markers so you don't accidentally dig into the crown during winter cultivation. Deadheading during the flowering season—from summer into late summer—is optional with this variety. Removing spent blooms can encourage a few more flushes of the unusual lime-green flowers, but Rudbeckia 'Green Jewel' flowers freely without it. If you do deadhead, snip stems back to the first strong leaf or side shoot. The plant is herbaceous, so all top growth dies back naturally in autumn regardless of deadheading.