cuttinG BacK 107
Cutting Back
C
utting back refers to pruning a plant to renew its appearance or
encourage a new flush of growth and flowering, or to control its
height or flowering time. In contrast to deadheading, which is the
removal of a dead flower and its stem and perhaps a few leaves,
cutting back generally means removing foliage, even a significant
amount, as well as possibly removing flower buds or deadheads.
This technique can regenerate or extend the life of certain perenni-
als. It can be used to remove unwanted flower buds on plants grown
exclusively for their foliar effect. Cutting back or shearing can also
be helpful for keeping plants within their assigned space in the garden.
Under certain circumstances, it is necessary to cut perennials all the way
down to the ground or to the foliage developing at the base of the plant. Plants
that are to be cut to the ground need some coddling through such a traumatic
experience. At the very least, keep them well watered. Aerating the soil with
light forking or hoeing also seems to help. And sometimes a light topdressing
with compost or liquid fertilizer gives a needed boost. Growth often will be slow
on plants that are cut back and left in poor dry conditions, and new growth might
not occur until cooler conditions return later in the season. Plants that are highly
stressed may be greatly weakened and in severe cases may not return. In
southern regions or in areas with very hot summers, cutting plants back before
the heat of August is advisable. If pruning later than the end of July, do not prune
off as much or as far back on the stems as you might with earlier pruning.
Cutting plants to the ground can be an unnerving and traumatic experience
for some gardeners as well. To ease the process, plants can be cut back in stages,
if desired. For example, cut half the plant down to the ground and pull the other
half over the wounds; wait for new growth and then cut the remaining part of the
plant. In addition to assisting the gardener through this troubling procedure,
pruning in this fashion means there will not be as large a hole in garden because
the entire plant is not being pruned at one time.
The typical pruning tools can be used for cutting back. Pruners work fine with
small plantings, but on most jobs (including my own gardens) I resort to hedge
shears. Grass shears or string trimmers for very large areas can also be used to
help speed up this labor-intensive chore. Hedge shears and string trimmers don’t
cut as cleanly as pruners, but the plants help out by filling in rapidly afterTo encourage varied plant
heights and staggered bloom
times, cut back perennials in
stages and layers.