Gardening Magazine

"Prune in June" - Another Joe Pye Weed Update

By John Markowski @jmarkowski0
When we last discussed my experimental pruning of Joey Pye (experimental in that I'm strictly following the advice of Tracy DiSabato-Aust), there were new bud breaks just emerging where I had previously pinched back the new growth.
It has been three weeks since that update and luckily for you fine reader, I've got another one for you today. 
First off, the Eupatorium (aka Joe Pye Weed) is in full bloom right now:    
And looking damn good along side Miscanthus 'Morning Light':

But enough of the niceties, this is about pruning and science and crap.
As a recap, here is the new growth prior to it being pinched back in early June:

And then pinched:

And then the new buds breaking soon after:

And the blooms from those buds, as of today:

As you can see in the photo below, the pinched areas in the front, where the blooms are just now appearing, provide the planting with a layered look that I really dig:  

You can appreciate the layered look even more from this side view: 
This mass of Joe Pye Weed has always looked good and performed beautifully in the past, but now with this new layered look (seen best from the most common vantage point) I am loving it even more.
I'll have some additional updates on my other pruned victims plants in the next few weeks so keep an eye out for them.
This stuff is fun, yo.
John  

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