Hi Carolynn, I've been working on the best way to maximize the size of NN while minimizing the floppy nature for 2 years. I'm wondering how successful your technique is. Do you gradually increase the early winter cutting (I do early Spring for winter interest only) year to year until some relatively maximum number is reached? Or do you follow the 1/3, 1/2 rule?

What I'm getting at is that first cutting. How much do you try to increase the old growth height from year to year?

I hope this is clear.

Evan

I don't increase it each year. Montauk will get very big and truthflully there were times I wondered if I had cut it back too far. It always came back though and never any problems getting it to flower.

Carolyn, If you look at the photo I posted of the daisy at Smith College you'll notice my caption which states it's 5' across. I wasn't being generous, it's actually closer to 6'. The problem is it's gotten very floppy, more so last week when I drove by. I'm thinking they don't trim in June. I'd love to eventually have some approaching that size that have the beautiful dense appearance. How wide is the one in your photo?

Evan

I did pull mine out - it just got too big, but it was a wonderful plant- especially for fall color. Mine was all of 5ft across. I never had any problems with it flopping, but I always cut it back severely - too the point where I often wondered if I had cut it back too far. I must say though, MD loved to be cut back. I would see little green knobby new during the winter months when I would take my walks into the backyard, missing the gardening season.....