I cut my yarrow back and it's now growing. It's supposed to bloom again if you cut it back. I like to cut it back anyways because it looks so terrible after blooming. It's floppy and yucky! It looks much better since pruning.

I cut back my 'Moonshine' yarrow and it's much prettier with even more blooms and a bigger plant. First season for mine, too. I'm impressed.

Cameron

Absolutely cut them back. What other perennials are you wondering about? Maureen

Cut your yarrow to the ground, not halfway.

Yes, cut it back to the ground. Then just wait to see what happens next year... yikes! My planting is now enormous after two years. If you plant this in the right place, it will NEVER leave.

Molie

I have always cut my yarrow back and got 2nd blooms plus it looks neater - this year I cut back my baptisia to 6" because it was just getting way too big - it is up about 18" and now I am wondering if I might get a second bloom from that????......

Lynne

Lynne...that's interesting about the baptisia. My two mother plants are now at least 4 feet tall and wide. They are full of seed pods, too. When did you cut it back to 6"...right after the bloom or when it came to life in the spring?

Cameron

Mamamamo and any others . . .

Knowing I can cut back Yarrow for a second bloom is great news! Thanks for the names of other perennials that can be cut back for a second bloom. Can you use common names please? I recognize some, but not all.

I'm wondering about this: How do you determine how short you cut a plant back? In most cases is it "to the ground"?

How about hyssop? It grows taller than advertised and I wouldn't mind loosing some of its height and gaining a second bloom. Bees won't be happy though . . .

You can google using the term "deadheading" for lots more information on this practice. Salvia is another common plant that absolutely needs to be cut back for continuous bloom.