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Pruning guide · Herbaceous plant
Wild onion: when and how to prune
Allium vineale
Wild onion is best pruned in August.
| Pruning months | August |
|---|---|
| Flowering | June–August |
| Native to Belgium | Yes |
Wild onion: when to prune it?
In August, when the bulbils are ripe and the stems wither.
What else to prune in those months? August
Wild onion: how to prune it?
- Mow or cut the withered stems and remove them along with the cuttings from the flower meadow.
- In a wildlife garden, leave a strip uncut until the following spring: insects overwinter in dry stems and tussocks.
- Want to stop it spreading further? Then cut off the heads in June, before the bulbils ripen.
How much to cut, and how often?
- One pruning period a year: August.
What does it mean for wildlife?
- As a native plant, it feeds more insects than a non-native species.
Caution: Do not throw heads with bulbils on the compost heap: they simply sprout there again.
Nearby: related pruning guides
Plant profile: Wild onion · Pruning calendar and basic rules
This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.