Keren, Given the situation I would not pinch them at all unless they produce too many flowers as that would just hurt the quality of the fruit you get. Figure on good stems 6 fruit buds. There is nothing wrong with planting older bushes. A few years ago I picked up some 7 year old blueberry bushes from a commercial grower who was switching to earlier ripening varieties. The plants were growing in 30 gallon pots and were only $10 each, he had 1000's to sell......how could I say no? They were so big I used my tractor bucket to lift them and remove the pots then in the ground they went. I still have them and they are still producing beautifully.

Usually pinching off the flower buds will encourage more green growth.

Evergreen clematis Armandii are just coming into bloom where you live. These are a type one clematis and are not pruned unless they need their size reduced, which is done right after flowering. They are not a good clematis for container growing because of their vigor and pruning type. I have one in full bloom now 20 feet up my cheery tree and another on an arbor just coming into bloom. Al

This is my first time growing the tall dahlias. I started the tubers indoors, and they are getting quite big now. My question is regarding pinching them back. As I understand it, you pinch out all side shoots and disbud side buds in order to get larger flowers. This would give you larger flowers but less of them, right? I'd prefer more flowers even if they were a little smaller, so I am wondering, should I let them grow naturally without pinching? Or, are they pinched in the same way as other annuals, to give you more bloom? I've grown the shorter, bedding dahlias but these seemed to take care of themselves, and I am not sure about the tall ones.