Have you chelsea chopped Joe Pye weed?

[Anonymous]

I cut them back every year and they still grow a bit more and instead of one huge flower have several smaller flower heads. I do this with phloxes as well. I I usually leave the back row intact and have layering heights of Joe pye in my yard. Tracy Disabato-Aust has a good book on the well tended perennial and she explains how to cut them properly.