One of the most asked gardening questions is, “When do I cut back my perennials and where to?” It is a good question and the answer can help you create a riot of late season colour in your garden as the plant that bloomed in the first half of the season will often re-bloom later if the spent flowers are cut off before they set seed.
I find that my veronica re-bloom reliably each September when I cut them back by half now. It is more important that you cut the flowers off than any amount of stem, however, I do find that if I cut the plants down to about 30 centimetres or one foot high they do not grow leggy and thin over time. Many bi-annuals like foxglove and hollyhocks produce new blossoms when cut down this time of year also.
The idea is to prevent the plant from going to seed, which takes energy that would otherwise be used to grow new flowers. Go ahead and give it a try. You might be amazed at the late-season results!
