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Rejuvenating Verbena: Cut Back Hard and Chop the Mat

Verbena blooms only on new growth tips. It looks great year one, ratty year two because stems don’t root well as they spread. Fix: trim whole area to 3″ between now and March. Chop through the stem mat with a shovel in several spots to stimulate new roots. Cover brown centers with compost. You’ll get purple blooms April–October again.

About Gardening: Hosta Destruction: Slugs, Flea Beetles, and Flying Pests; Reviving Indoor Chives: Root Pruning and Repotting; Wisteria Pruning for Flowers: Twice-Yearly Regime; Verbena Perennials: Long-Blooming Color for Heat and Sun; Growing Verbena: Climate, Planting, and Maintenance Tips; Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena): See-Through Purple Clouds on 6-Foot Stems; Squash Vine Borer Protection: Netting for Late Planting; Why Pyracantha Failed to Berry: Pruning at the Wrong Time; Pruning 'Homestead Purple' Verbena: Cut Hard in March for Summer Blooms; Rejuvenating 'Homestead Purple' Verbena: Annual Hard Pruning

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