How to prune eleocharis dulcis

Autumn to winter, after corms are harvested. Use clean, sharp scissors or snips to cut dead or yellowing stems to just above the waterline or soil surface. Avoid cutting green, photosynthesising stems during the growing season as this reduces corm development.

Once annually after harvest; tidy dead stems as needed. Eleocharis dulcis (Chinese water chestnut) needs minimal pruning. Cut back yellow or dead stems at or near the waterline to keep the planting tidy. After harvest in autumn or winter, cut all top growth down to the soil or water level to encourage fresh growth the following spring.

Use clean, sharp scissors or snips to cut dead or yellowing stems to just above the waterline or soil surface. Avoid cutting green, photosynthesising stems during the growing season as this reduces corm development.