How to Prune Leggy Flowers

My summer flowers – like vinca and petunias – tend to get leggy. If I prune them back, will they bloom again? -Meredith

Absolutely! Summer annuals will keep blooming until frost. However, if you prune them back severely, it may take a few weeks for them to grow back out and bloom again.

So, instead of waiting until they’re leggy, try pinching them back as you deadhead the old blossoms. You don’t have to remove a lot of the stem – simply pinching off the growing tip will stimulate the plant to branch out from the base. This way, you can keep your plants in shape and blooming all summer!

You can also lightly trim or pinch back perennials (like coreopsis and mums) after they bloom if they get leggy. They might (or might not) bloom again, but the green plants will bush out and be more attractive for the remainder of the season.