I hope someone can help! I've got a beautiful Centaurea delbata that I planted two year ago when it was very small. Last year, it was perfect. Not too big, not too small, covered with blooms, and it stayed upright. This year, it's a monster that has flopped badly, covering up a bunch of other plants! It's covered in blooms again, but looks awful because it's so floppy. It may have gotten too much water, but since it's in a mixed bed that's on the sprinkler system, I can't do much about that.

I'm wondering if I can cut it back by half at this time of year, and still get some later blooms on it. I want to put a cage around it, but it's so big that I can't do much with it. I hate to lose the blooms, but it's kind of smothering the plants around it.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated!

You should be able to cut it back and hopefully get some flowering later in the season. And then move to a better location in the Fall.

Thanks NJBob, and sorry I took so long to respond. We've been out of town on a short camping trip.

I'm glad to hear that I may get some later blooms if I cut it back. Sadly though, it's going to have to stay put as I'm out of room. I'll try pinching it back next year and see if that helps some.