I have been given some Stachys ‘Helen Von Stein’. I have been told to rake it hard, but I don’t know exactly what that means and when to do it. Would cutting the old leaves back down to the ground also suffice and when should I do that?
Stachys byzantina ‘Helen von Stein’ is a lovely plant grown for it’s large fuzzy silver leaves. It is a relative of the regular Lambs Ears you see growing in many gardens but this variety does not flower which makes it an ideal bedding or edging plant as it won’t spread seeds all over your garden. It has a mounding growth habit which will reach about 8 inches tall. It can be planted in full sun or part shade and is happiest with regular soil with good drainage as it is quite drought tolerant.
Now that you know about the plant you’ve been given, I’ll address the ‘raking’ issue. I think what is meant by this is, to cut it back to the ground in the late fall and remove all the leaf debris from the planting area so as to decrease the risk of rot, disease or insect overwintering. Rest assured, your plant will reappear the following spring.
Hope this helps.