"Taming Tall Perennials"

Presented by Douglas Ruhren, gardens manager, on June 23, 2021.
Some of our favorite flowering perennials grow quickly to heights that cause them to flop. Learn how to tame your tall perennials with Douglas Ruhren as he demonstrates some of the methods he uses to keep them standing tall.

[@GrandmaSandy]

I always love a good garden video thank you so much for sharing this with us .. Hugs and kisses from grandma Sandy

[@beckyscheller9358]

Lots of information. Thanks for doing these videos.

[@canuckviolet3322]

Love the term 'stumpifying'! 😆 This seems to be happening to everything. Nice to have the choice of smaller trees shrubs and perennials but you're right not everything needs to be a ground cover. Trying to find things that give height in the garden is becoming an issue! And Doug you do a really good job of looking pretty in the garden! 😉 Thanks for a good video guys in spite of your technical challenges.

[@snu3877]

I feel like a heretic in saying so, but I never was a fan of Tracy DiSabato-Aust's book The Well-Tended Perennial Garden. I felt the entire book could be summed up by saying: chop 'em in half! She seemed to crave neatness above all else, and wanted to miniaturize all tall plants, basically whipping (well, cutting) them into submission. I'd rather wrestle with a tall plant than chop it off at the knees. I recently discovered rebar. I go to Home Depot, have some pieces cut to size (4 feet or even taller), and they are fantastic at staking tall plants.

[@brutusadmirer8043]

My experience is that the mums and asters will not root when you 1st cut them back in early or mid June, but will root well with later cutbacks in early July. The new mum rootings will mostly bloom in late Oct. too.

[@LostInThisGardenofLife]

Tame? There’s no fun in that. I just let mine run wild and free! 😭🤣

[@olsonlr]

I have a question: My red flowering echinacea looks like it is growing mini plants right out of the middle of its flowers! What's up with that? Pick the flowers and root them or will those stems bloom later on?

[@jcraulstonarb]

This is a disease called aster-yellows: www.google.com/search?q=aster+yellows&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS568US568&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiC7fa_sOf5AhUvlIkEHX__Du0Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&cshid=1661615642238737&biw=1890&bih=948&dpr=1

[@snu3877]

21:00 minute mark (and earlier too,) Is that Chaste Tree (Vitex)?

[@jcraulstonarb]

Yes, it is.

[@snu3877]

@@jcraulstonarb Just beautiful! What zone are you in? I was wondering if you prune it hard. Judging from the size, I am going to guess no?

[@jcraulstonarb]

We are zone 7b. And we only prune the Vitex to remove dead or crossing branches. We do not pruning to control its height.

[@emkn1479]

Croscosmia lucifer always flops in my garden. Does it just need a strong neighbor or a physical stake, or could it be a cultural issue?

[@jcraulstonarb]

It is likely a cultural issue. Thin the patch if it is overcrowded. Make sure it is in full sun. Too much shade will cause flopping. So will too much fertilizer. It is also quite common for folks to stake crocosmia.

[@emkn1479]

@@jcraulstonarb Ok, thanks. It gets sun for the majority of the day, including the hot afternoon sun. I never fertilize it. Maybe it should be thinned. I think I’m just going to also put in a permanent stake in case I need it. The flowers are wonderful and so is the texture so I can’t let it go 🙃