How to prune sweet alyssum

After the first main flush (late spring) and again in late summer. Use scissors or shears to cut the entire plant back by half after peak bloom. Water and apply a balanced liquid feed; new compact growth and a second flush of honey-scented blooms follow within a few weeks, especially as temperatures cool.

Two to three times per season: after each main flush and as needed. Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) blooms heavily in cool weather and often takes a midsummer pause in heat. Shearing plants back by half after the first flush and again in late summer triggers a fresh mound of growth and renewed flowering in autumn. Without shearing, plants become woody and sparse. This is one of the most rewarding plants to cut back hard.

Use scissors or shears to cut the entire plant back by half after peak bloom. Water and apply a balanced liquid feed; new compact growth and a second flush of honey-scented blooms follow within a few weeks, especially as temperatures cool.