Whenever I’ve discussed pruning in the past, I’ve always accompanied it with words like “gentle” and “careful.”
Some perennials, however, do not respond to gentle, and a hard prune may be necessary to lighten them up and get them ready for blooming next season.
In today’s article, I’ll be telling you why some perennials respond to hard pruning and taking you through a long list of them, discussing each and every one in detail.
Let’s dive straight into it, shall we?
What Is Hard Pruning (And Why It Matters For Perennials)?
Whenever the topic of pruning is discussed, it is advised that people cut back no more than one-third of their plants.
Hard pruning, however, means you’ll be cutting your plants back close to the ground or at least by two-thirds of the way.
Hard pruning rejuvenates growth, encourages fuller plant development, improves bloom production, reduces the risk of fungal disease, and does everything that regular pruning is supposed to do, just amplified.
When Should We Use Hard Pruning In The Garden?
Hard pruning isn’t something you do to every perennial in your garden. It should be a tool in your toolbox that you should only pull out when necessary.
Certain perennials require hard pruning in late winter or early spring.
Plant type and hardiness zone play a very important role here.
In hardiness zones 1-7, it wouldn’t make sense to hard prune perennials in the wintertime, as the temperature won’t be able to accommodate recovery.
10 Perennials That Thrive With Hard Pruning
1: Catmint (Nepeta)
This special perennial should be given a hard cut back after the first bloom to encourage a second flush of vibrant blue and lavender flower spikes.
2: Salvias
Salvias are best hard pruned in early spring, as it helps encourage better structure and blooming. This perennial also offers colorful flower spikes in shades of purple, blue, white, and crimson.
3: Bee Balm (Monarda)
Cutting back bee balms hard exponentially reduces mildew issues and promotes fuller blooming, giving the perennial that dense look you and I love.
4: Yarrow (Achillea)
The yarrow is another bright-blooming perennial that should be pruned back hard to basal foliage in spring for dense and compact growth.
5: Coreopsis
Cosmos are extremely underrated when it comes to flower texture and beauty. The tall, airy flowering annual offers daisy-like blooms and self-seeds pretty easily.
The thing I love about cosmos is that they even thrive in poor and unfavorable soil conditions.
6: Russian Sage (Perovskia Atriplicifolia)
Although Russian sage doesn’t necessarily require hard pruning, doing so would keep the perennial tidy and productive, encouraging growth throughout the season.
7: Coreopsis
You can be gentler when pruning coreopsis, but the perennial responds well to being cut nearly to the base in spring.
8: Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
Hard pruning sedums is a good idea as it helps prevent leggy and weak growth later on in the season.
9: Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)
You want to prune blanket flowers heavily in the springtime to promote more vigorous blooming and prevent dieback.
10: Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium)
Because of how tall and dense Joe-Pye weeds can grow, they should be cut back heavily around late winter or early spring to control height and encourage bushier growth.
Quick Tips For Successful Hard Pruning
Conclusion
Despite the rules and limitations of pruning, it’s okay to break these rules for certain perennials and go above and beyond with the cutting-back process.
Yes, cutting back only one-third of the plant at a time is a solid starting point, but you can certainly do more if you believe the plant can tolerate it and will benefit from it in terms of blooming, disease resistance, or overall health and longevity.
Happy pruning, fellas!
