It's important to cut back foliage in the fall to protect flowering plants from disease and give them a clean start for regrowth as winter starts to turn into spring. However, there are some plants you can keep around through the winter since they benefit wildlife and still offer visual interest for your home.
A good rule of thumb is that if the plant blooms on new growth, it can be pruned in winter, before the new season's growth begins and after the final bloom of the year. Be careful with spring-blooming shrubs—those usually can't be pruned in winter without damaging the flower buds and ruining the blooming season.
Cut the plants down to within three to five inches of the soil line. Leaving the plant slightly above the ground has several advantages. First, the remaining foliage helps provide a bit of insulation for the plant through winter.
Also, do not cut back hardy perennials like garden mums (Chrysanthemum spp.), anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria), and Montauk daisy (Nipponanthemum nipponicum). Leave the foliage. It's important to protect the root crowns over winter.
Some perennials, like hostas, peonies and daylilies, need to be pruned in fall to avoid winter damage. Plants like these should be pruned after the first few frosts in late fall or early winter. Other perennials like mums and coneflowers are better off being pruned in spring just before new growth comes in.
It's important to cut back foliage in the fall to protect flowering plants from disease and give them a clean start for regrowth as winter starts to turn into spring. However, there are some plants you can keep around through the winter since they benefit wildlife and still offer visual interest for your home.
To prevent the disease from returning the following year, we suggest cutting the plants back in the fall and removing any debris – no matter the variety! It will give your plants a clean start next season. *Destroy any foliage with symptoms of powdery mildew and disinfect pruners before trimming other plants.
But when should hostas be cut back? Hostas should be cut back in late fall. Healthy hosta leaves can be left on the plant in early fall to capture much-needed energy, but all leaves should be trimmed off after the first frost to deter slugs and other pests from making your hosta their winter home.
Some plants can overwinter as houseplants. The most successful are: geraniums, Boston ferns, and tropical plants such as begonia, caladium, coleus, and hibiscus. For these plants, the general rule is to give them as much light and humidity as possible; keep away from heat ducts. Some will benefit from artificial light.
When To Winterize Your Gardens. The best time to start winterizing gardens is after the first hard freeze in the fall. A hard freeze occurs when the temperature gets below freezing overnight, killing off tender annual plants and vegetables.
Most trees should be pruned during the late dormant season (February through March). February through March is generally regarded as the best time to prune most deciduous trees.
When to Cut Back Hostas. As a general rule, hostas should be cut back in the late fall. Start with leaves that have wilted or turned brown. Healthy leaves can stay a bit longer to help the roots store needed energy.
Some perennials benefit largely from regular pruning during the summer growing season, but the most important cleanups are in the fall and the spring. A host of perennials respond best to a tidy spring cleaning and are seemingly rejuvenated from the practice.
Deep water plants before ground freeze, and continue to water during winter months when temperatures remain above freezing but without precipitation, Erect physical windbreaks. Wrap problem plants with burlap or other material to protect from wind and subsequent moisture loss to evergreen shrubs and small trees.
Any gardening expert will tell you, (contrary to what you may believe) that pruning encourages new growth just when the plant is trying to go dormant and new growth doesn't have enough time to harden before the first frost and freezing temperatures hit. Pruning at this time of year will severely weaken the plants.
One obvious sign of dead floras is mushy and fragile stems plus roots. Once a plant has reached this stage, no home remedies will save it.
Many gardeners cut back their perennials much too soon. There are nuances specific to certain perennials that dictate whether it is better to cut them back in fall or spring, but the general rule I like to follow is to only cut back perennials that start looking bad in fall.