Spring checklist
Pinch, prune & cut back
ost perennials that flower before midsummer’s day can be cut back to ground level after blooming. New foliage all benefit from this approach. The other technique to try now is to pinch out the tips of summer perennials, such as helenium, veronicastrum and phlox. This delays flowering and makes the stems branch. The plants won’t be as tall and may not need staking.
