Feehan: To keep plants growing, protect the crown

Plant crowns. I often refer to them when answering plant questions. I talk about not over-watering perennials or crown rots may develop. I recommend not cutting perennials or strawberry plants too low to avoid damaging plant crowns.

I tell people to wait until plants are dormant and the soil begins to freeze before applying winter mulch or crowns may rot over winter. You might hear me say a taller mowing height during summer is important to shade grass crowns or to propagate plants by crown division.

So what is a plant crown, and where on the plant is it located?

A plant’s crown is generally found just at or just above the surface of the ground, and new growth often occurs from this point.

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