Hedgetrimmers! Seriously, I use cordless trimmers to shear back nepeta, coreopsis and other mounding foliage, flowering perennials that need deadheading of that nature. I cut back by "grazing" the top to the mounding foliage, taking off the thin stems.

Cameron

Cameron, I've thought of doing something like that. How far down do you cut the plant? Do you get re-bloom? Thanks.

cut off just below the blooms.

OK, thanks.

I don't deadhead mine after blooming. I've read that it may make the plant weaker for overwintering since it is pushed into reblooming. The dried seed heads add some winter interest too.

I am a relentless deadheader and I think it keeps my plants blooming longer. I also do not prune my Moonbean, I just leave it to overwinter on its own and it comes right back. It also prevents unwanted volunteers from coming up the next year. This year, because of illness in the family, I did not do the daily deadhead on my Lychnis, and it has almost stopped blooming already. Usually, I have blooms until late fall.