Overview

• The method calls for trimming each stem by one-third to one-half once plants reach half their expected height, with cuts made on the diagonal just above a leaf node.
• Named for the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show, the technique has surged on social media this spring as a spring pruning trend.
• Pruned plants respond with bushier, more compact growth that holds up better against wind and rain and reduces the need for staking.
• Late-summer and fall bloomers such as Joe Pye weed, chrysanthemum and aster benefit from up to three annual chops timed according to regional climate variations.
• Experts warn against using the Chelsea Chop on one-time bloomers, single-stem plants or those with woody stems, as it can eliminate the season’s sole floral display.