What is the "Chelsea crop" and should I do it to my geraniums?

[TuttiFrutti]

I've heard of this, and think it means cutting the first few inches off the top of a plant. Is this right? What about plants that are in bud?

I've got some geraniums (real cottage-garden type geraniums, not pelargoniums) which are getting a bit spread out around the roots. Would this help them, and would it encourage more flowers?

I'm not sure about geraniums but you can read about pruning and the Chelsea Chop here

I'm a bit of a cowardly pruner and need to become more ruthless. I should learn my lesson because one year DH 'pruned' my rambling rose bush using a strimmer. I was furious, but the next year it looked amazing and was covered in flowers.

I usually take about a third of the plant off at the end of May. Stops the need for so much staking and everything flopping over in August. Works well on later flowering perennials. If you do it to a plant that already has produced buds then the plant will concentrate putting it's energy into those flowers - it might look a bit "stunted" though.

I also give some of my early flowering perennials like geraniums a No1 after they have flowered. They will then flower again in mid August.

I have done this on geraniums and it has given a further flush of flowers later.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

What is a No1 isthatyourporridge??? I think I know, but I had to read that sentence twice.

Sorry Tutti - a very short haircut.