I grew my plants form seeds three or four seasons ago. They are pretty hardy and flower well. Much better than shastas. Do keep them watered. they will droop when parched to let you know they are thirsty.
You can dead head individual stems or sheer the top few inches or so. The flower buds will pretty much bloom and fade all at once so sheering is the easiest way.
I think I get two and maybe three blooms per season. They clump nicely so the aren't invasive and they spread quickly so you will be able to to divide them for a bigger stand or as garden gifts. I use plant tone from espoma to feed them but they seem that they will do all right by themselves. Great border plants.
Chefhick

Thanks so much. I have htree newer plants, bought in partial bloom. Some of the flowers have come out and faded off. I just clipped off the dead looking ones. Left the tops lie on the grass between the newer ones and last years plants, hoping the seeds lived in the centers of the the blossoms.
Thanks ofr the input. We drove around Belmar, NJ yesterday and saw many blooming in yards but no one outside to stop and ask.
Thanks again

Apparently there are two schools of thought on pruning them back. One recommends cutting back to the ground each spring. The other, and the one I've seen more often, recommends cutting back by half twice each year, around December 1 and June 1.

There seems to be difference of opinion on culture, too: I've read that they like a poor, dry, sandy soil ... and that they like a rich, moist soil.

I've got to admit, most of mine are out near the curb in pretty poor soil, rarely get watered or fed, and do just fine. Several just got trampled during a late-summer tree removal project, so I cut them back to the ground and they're coming back beautifully. Of course, they won't bloom this fall, but they're hardy plants and I expect they'll put on a nice display next year.

Don't fuss over them too much ... I think it embarrasses them ;-)

Diane