This pruning will cause the plants to branch out and increase the number of blooms even though they bloom a little later. Minnesota garden consultant Lila Stanley cuts back plants as soon as there are more dead flowers than fresh ones. “Cutting back” or “shearing” generally refers to removing foliage and flowers to control height or flowering time. Pruning is an overall term that might be referred to as grooming, shaping, shearing or snipping. Sometimes we can prolong flowering for two months.” Pruning Terminology 101 We prune for pest and disease control, and we prune to do general garden cleanup. We prune preemptively to delay flowering. We prune to have plants that are fuller throughout the summer so they don’t develop that melt-out hole that sometimes develops in spring-flowering plants. “We prune to create more compact plants that don’t require staking. (Her website also includes instructional pruning videos and plenty of helpful information.) “Much of it depends on your objective,” she says. There are many reasons to prune, says Tracy DiSabato-Aust, whose book The Well-Tended Perennial Garden is the definitive text on the topic.
Plants are rarely harmed by the practice, and most will grow better and stay healthier with a proper bit of cutting back. Think of pruning as tough love for plants.
It’s a relaxing practice that allows us to get up close and personal with our plants, do a close inspection and prevent problems later on.