Herbaceous plants are usually perennials or annuals in that they will either die back to the roots or completely die at the end of the growing season. Pruning on these is often labeled as follows:
- Deadheading: Removing spent flowers to eliminate seed production and/or encourage additional blooms.
- Pinching: Cutting back the plant to encourage thicker growth.
- Tidying: Removing unsightly foliage and/or shaping.
- Clearing: Removing the top growth after frost (perennials) or removing the dead plant (annuals).
Herbaceous plants produce blooms on the current season’s growth, so pruning can be done either at the end of the previous season, as new growth appears early in the season, or as needed during the growing season.
