How to prune creeping phlox

Immediately after flowering ends in late spring (typically May–June). Using shears or scissors, trim the entire mat back by one-quarter to one-third right after blooms fade. Cut into the leafy growth but avoid cutting into completely bare woody stems with no green leaves.

Once annually, post-flowering. Creeping Phlox needs pruning once a year, immediately after flowering in spring. Cutting it back by up to one-third prevents the centre from becoming woody and bare, encourages denser foliage, and keeps the mat tidy. No deadheading is needed — the small flowers drop cleanly. Little else is required.

Using shears or scissors, trim the entire mat back by one-quarter to one-third right after blooms fade. Cut into the leafy growth but avoid cutting into completely bare woody stems with no green leaves.