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Tall Perennial Plants Flopping Over in Rain
“Wind and storms often topple my taller plants, such as hydrangeas, goldenrod, ironweed and milkweed. Sometimes, the plants right themselves afterward but not always. What’s the best remedy for flopping perennials—leave them alone, cut them back or stake them?” asks Birds & Blooms reader Judy Roberts of Graytown, Ohio.
Horticultural expert Melinda Myers says, “Pruning can encourage more compact growth for late-blooming perennials like ironweed and goldenrod. Cut ironweed back by 2 feet when the plants are 3 to 4 feet tall. This can delay flowering by several weeks, but it will result in a much shorter plant less likely to flop. Prune goldenrods back halfway in early June for more compact growth that won’t need staking.
Cutting common milkweed plants back halfway in spring or early summer encourages fresh new growth that results in more egg laying. Encourage bushier growth on swamp milkweed by pruning plants back to 18 inches early in the growing season. Check for monarch eggs and caterpillars before you begin pruning these plants.
Check out our favorite pollinator plants that thrive in wet soil.
Should You Prune or Stake Flopping Hydrangeas?
Melinda continues, “Adjusting your pruning technique for smooth hydrangeas, often called Annabelle hydrangeas, can help reduce flopping. Cut all the stems back to 15 to 18 inches when the plant is dormant. Cut half of these stems back to the ground. The older stems help support the new growth.”
READ ON: The FlowerFull Hydrangea Stands Tall in the Garden
About the Expert
Melinda Myers is the official gardening expert for Birds & Blooms. She is a TV/radio host, author and columnist who has written more than 20 gardening books. Melinda earned a master’s degree in horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
