A LITTLE PRUNING OF YOUR PERENNIALS CAN TIDY UP YOUR GARDEN. A HORTICULTURE EDUCATOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS EXTENSION EXPLAINS SOME OF THE METHODS.

FOR PERENNIALS LIKE ASTERS, SEDUM, CARDINAL FLOWER AND GOLDEN ROD, CUTTING BACK ONE WAY TO GO SAYS THE EXTENSION’S NICOLE FLOWERS-KIMMERLE (kimmer-lee).

FLOWERS-KIMMERLE (kimmer-lee) SAYS ANOTHER OPTION IS DEADHEADING, WHERE YOU REMOVE OLD BLOOMS.

MANY PERENNIALS BLOOM FOR THREE WEEKS OR LESS AND DEADHEADING, ANOTHER PRUNING METHOD, CAN ENCOURAGE A LONGER BLOOM TIME. 

FLOWERS-KIMMERLE SAYS PERENNIALS THAT RESPOND WELL TO DEADHEADING INCLUDE BUTTERFLY WEED, COREOPSIS (core-ee-op-sis), PURPLE CONEFLOWER AND GARDEN PHLOX. THEY SHOULD BE DEADHEADED TO THE NEXT LATERAL FLOWER, BUD OR LEAF.