# How to Cut Back Dianthus in the Fall
Dianthus offers long-lasting, colorful blooms in summer bouquets. The combinations of red, white and pink flowers come from a perennial that generally needs little maintenance after planting. Like other plants that return year after year, Dianthus generally does not need to be cut back — and when it is, spring is the best time. But if you need to control a lanky plant or keep it from crowding others, you can snip it carefully in the fall if you take other steps to protect the plant's health.
Instructions
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Cut the plant several inches above the ground using garden clippers or shears. Generally, Dianthus will bloom again on old growth, so do not take more off the plant than is absolutely necessary.
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Place organic compost around the remaining plant to nourish it until the ground freezes.
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Water the plant regularly after cutting to help it recover from any shock after cutting. This does not need to be done with any more frequency than during the rest of the year.
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4
Apply a thin layer of mulch over the plant just before the first snowfall of the season. Remove the mulch in early spring to encourage growth.
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