I routinely pinch or cut back the really tall species of Goldenrod (Solidago), perennial Helianthus, and Asters. They end up being a bit shorter and blooming a bit later. This seems to help prevent them from flopping as much. I usually do this in June, but early July is probably not too late, especially if you have a longer growing season. In the wild part of the yard, I've observed that these species are grazed on by deer, so they are probably well-adapted to this type of pruning. Unfortunately this Spring, I've had tendonitis in wrists and elbows, so I haven't cut back much. Only did a little pinching. The Helianthus maximiliani will probably end up being 10 feet fall and flop all over everything. 8-O

Gosh I havn't been on here in a while and it's neat to see someone else in GA is ready to put them in the ground also! TheGardenpooter is correct. Don't cut them back at all. I planted a 3 foot tall CG today and put about a cup of 10-10-10 granular in the hole, watered it in well and it's good to go. Crossing my fingers we won't have another frost here, but I really don't think it's going to happen....

hi -- if you're in a new yard, you'll probably have a better idea in the spring of what method works best for the conditions you have. personally, by late fall i've pretty much lost the motivation to do much yard work. -- the messy look of the dead/dying leaves doesn't bother me, so i don't do a thing to my hostas and let the leaves turn to compost on their own. i gather up what ever is left of the old leaves in the spring when i have more enthusiasm and when the new growth is emerging. in contrast though, my mother always does a major fall clean-up. in her zone (5) and her yard conditions (shadier and wetter than mine), if she doesn't get the dead leaves up before winter, her garden becomes not only the wet slimy mess that you describe, but, as a result, also a MAJOR slug party. the only way for her to stay ahead of the slug invasion is to clean the beds out in the fall. lucky for me, i don't have a severe slug problem, so i don't have those worries. in general, if leaves are still green, they're still producing food, and so best to leave them alone til they turn.

To my understanding, It is an invasive species in Europe (not the US) where it has escaped the garden and naturalized. It is a native species here. I find it fairly easy to control in my garden . Has it become a garden thug in your garden? or in the neighborhood? It is a welcomed plant because it attracts bees and butterflies. As a plant, it might not fit in your garden because it does need a certain amount of space because it can attain some size and become ungainly. IT does not seed out prolifically here outside of Austin. I would be more concerned of the root stolens than the seedlings. It makes a colony in the wild due to spreading stolens. Are we talking about Soldago candensis (taller likes deeper wetter soils), S. nemerosa ( smaller but spreads easier in dry alkaline soils.