You can cut them back earlier in the season....that will help keep them shorter and more compact. It is usually because the soil is too rich or they receive too much water that they grow lanky and tend to flop. Too much shade will do the same thing.

in z5.. they are cut back to the ground in late fall ... or in spring when they actualy die back to the ground .. ive never heard of pruning them like mums.. to shorten them ... but you wont kill them.. so try it on one plant next year ....

i used to have this problem ... in great soil.. with lots of water.. and maybe some fert or compost ...

then i moved to pure sand ... quit watering.. and basically ignored them.. and lo and behold.. they dont flop ...

sooo.. grow them like the succulent they almost are ... total and complete benign neglect ....

and bazinga.. thats what gal said .. go figure.. lol.. my answer is just more poetic.. dont you think .. lol ..

ken

Thank you both! Ken I don't give it any special treatment or extra water. So these do not need to be divided ever?

I cut them back in early June and it feels so wrong as little buds are just showing. But, three stems come up for every one and no flopping loaded with flowers.

Agree with above posters. Noticed mine were doing this last year or two and looked into it - found the same recommendations. Around mid June cut them back, in half. As posierosie said, it was difficult because they were growing so well. But they responded perfectly and have a few great, strong clumps, no splaying.

Thank you both! Ken I don't give it any special treatment or extra water. So these do not need to be divided ever?

==>> then your soil is better than yellow sand .. lol .. yellow meaning not much humus in it.. which would make it brown ...

dividing is changing the topic ... which is fine ... as a kid.. i remember us moving them everywhere .. but i cant remember if that is because the clump eventually matures and gets ugly .. or if mom just wanted it everywhere ...

ken

I remember something else I do: pinch out the thin, weak stems. If it is not crowded with stems it stays more compact and less likely to splay.

Note that some cultivars grow taller than others and generally must be cut back or they will definitely flop. In that category I grow Sunkissed, Red Cauli, Purple Emperor, Cloud Walker and Xenox. More compact varieties that don't require pruning back are Autumn Charm, Carl, and Pink Chablis.

Hello 'Emily', I didnt see your thread when I started another...sorry.

felisar, and others what are your favorite SEDUMS and why?

Some
are very floppy and I’ve given up on those. Matrona. Purple Emperor I bought for the foliage. It’s not purple for me, more olive. I know to cut them back but still often forget. The tall ones are not in a prime location, so when I see them it's too late. The old standard Autumn Joy doesn’t seem to need it.

I have Bertram Anderson which people rave about. It’s short: and it STILL flops. This year I gave it a hard haircut and rooted the cuttings. The cuttings bloomed nicely. The parent plant still looks awful. I’m starting to think I should move it to a back location and just use it as a source for cuttings. Bought short Dazzleberry last fall. Flop.

Lines

Could the soil be too good? (Rich) or too moist?

Too good in the bed where the short ones are, possibly. Neither too good nor too moist in the side yard where the tall ones are, which is too far for the hose to reach and never gets compost. (that's the "just have to cover the meters" garden)

sorry auto-mistake didn't like the way I spelled your name!

I'm probably repeating myself or someone else: For the tall ones, Did you pinch out the thin crowded stems and pinch back by half sometime in June?

This year I didn't bother. I have in the past, though, and just didn't like the habit even when I did.

hmm. I find by the time September comes they are at least 15 "- 18" tall and stocky. the ones I didn't see and didn't pinch are over 2 ' and splayed out like a circle of sticks. The first looks good, the second crappy

Mine are flopping also. I'm in the North of England. They are well watered, in rich soil, and partial shade. They've already started to get flower buds. Can I chop them back now, or is it too late now they're beginning to flower?

Gary,

Glad to have you but you'll get more attention if you post a separate (new) post instead of tagging on to an old one.

Nevertheless, I already answered so I'll just send this on anyway.

Which sedum are you showing?

You just identified why they are flopping "well watered, rich soil, partial shade"

They do not usually need much water at all, rich soil makes them weak and they are full sun plants. That said, I have some in part sun which lean a bit. but they were pinched and look acceptable. No Fertilizer Ever Needed.

. You really need to keep them pinched regardless of the growing conditions.

Can you be a little risk tolerant? Piinch them just below where start to curve and see what happens. I am sure you'll still get the brocolli-like buds. If your climate in mild I bet they'll color up. eventually. It is really hard to kill a sedum.

Do you need a good gardening book? Many people here recommend The Well Tended Perennial Garden by ..Tracey Di-Satbo..........(someone else will remember her entire name...Aust?

That's a excellent book. Really the perennial pruning bible for me. Tracy DiSabato-Aust.

I don't buy gardening books as most are just pretty pictures. This one is different. It's a practical manual.