How to Cut a Canterbury Bell Back

Canterbury bells, also known as bellflowers, are biennial flowering plants in the Campanula genus. Growing to a height of 24 to 36 inches, they flower on 3-foot-tall stems. The blooms are white, pink, purple and blue, and appear in the late spring to early summer. Canterbury bells tolerate the chilly winter temperatures to Zone 4a on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Pruning shears
Pine needles or branches

Instructions

- 1
  Use your fingers or pruning shears to remove dead flowers during the growing season. This encourages the Canterbury bell to produce new blooms.
- 2
  Wait until the Canterbury bell finishes blooming in early summer to cut it. Snap off the foliage and flower tendrils with your fingers.
- 3
  Cut back only dead portions of the Canterbury bell in the fall. Wait until the soil freezes, and then cut back the entire plant to within 1 inch of the soil and cover it with pine needles or branches.

Kinds of Phlox

Homemade Potting Mixes for Azaleas

Growing Flowers