Is it too late to top the tall lance leaved goldenrod?
Question:
Is it too late to top the tall lance leaved goldenrod?
Answer:
Lynne M. Holland, Horticulture and Social Media Professional
If you are pruning your goldenrod for a fuller showing later this fall you can do it during June so you are almost past the optimal time to do it. Also consider the amount of the plant you are removing. In general, removing more than a quarter or third of the height will set the plant back and taking less off might mean a top heavy plant. Earlier in the season that would be lower down so the plant will be fuller farther down.
You can take stem cuttings in June if you are looking to propagate the plant but again it is late in the month so the success rate will be impacted by the hotter weather ahead. The last thing to consider is if it is the native plant or a cultivar. Cultivars sometimes have a mind of their own so if you have a lot of it you might want to just do some of them and see what happens.