This time of year I cut back my asters- with large scissors to cause more branching and delay blooms until fall.

Instead of throwing away those cuttings- pot them up after stripping off the bottom leaves and keep semi-shaded and frequently watered for a while.

Sure they look like a wilty mess for a while but then they root- and then you have a whole new bushy plant- if you plant the whole pot as one plant- in a few months!

Give it a try:)

Same trick works to make more catmint and artemisia 'silver king', doesn't make a bushier plant to cut it back,

but the cuttings do take root in no time:)

Karen