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.
It's common to think that everything should be chopped down to the ground in the fall, but some perennials actually need their foliage to protect new shoots through the winter. Other varieties offer up important habitat for local wildlife and some perennials provide height and interest through the winter months.
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.
While there are benefits to waiting till spring for cleanups, there are still some reasons when fall is best. As a general rule, if you are cutting back in the fall, wait until leaves and stems turn brown — this is a sign the plant is dormant and will not send up any tender, new growth before the first frost.
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.
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.
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.
The process of trimming back plants is the same for nearly all perennials. Begin by cutting the plant back to 3 to 5 inches above the soil line. Using a sharp pair of pruners or hedge trimmers, cut off all of the foliage and stems. Cut the plants down to within three to five inches of the soil line.
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. If 25% or more of the hostas is dying, you will know it is time to cut it back.
Unlike perennials, annuals do not come back from season to season so there is no reason to leave these in the ground. Pull them up, roots and all, and add them to your compost pile. Remove weeds and leaf debris. These are common places for diseases and pests over winter.
Q: When is the best time to cut back in the fall? A: “When they start to look too ratty for you and before the fresh new growth begins,” says Sarah. For plants that are frost-sensitive, wait until after the plants have gone through several hard frosts to ensure they're dormant before cutting back.
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.
A perennial with an insect or disease problem should always be pruned in fall, no matter the type. Trim and discard of any infected plant stems to stop an infestation from carrying over into next year's growing season.
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.
Although it may be cold and snowy outside, winter is actually the best time of year to prune your deciduous plants. Wait for a relatively mild, sunny day, get out your pruners, and take a critical look at your trees and shrubs.
By dividing the plant when it is not flowering, all the plant's energy can go to root and leaf growth. Fall division should take place between early September in the uppermost Piedmont and mid- to late October on the coast. Allow at least four to six weeks before the ground freezes for the plants to become established.
Always cut back to a leaf or part of the stem where you can see a new bud forming. Later in the season, when the plant begins to produce fewer blooms, you can just let them be. Let the plants stand during the winter to provide food for birds. In late winter, prune them back to the ground.
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.
Check for other parts such as stems and roots. If the stems are still green and firm on the inside, then you still have a chance of saving the plant. However, if the roots and stems of the dying plant are squishy and frail or brittle, then it is too late to save the plant.
Some photoperiodic plants can perceive the shortening of nights to know spring has sprung. Many others are able to measure the amount of cold that has occurred to determine when winter is over. When a sufficient number of chilling hours accumulate, they are triggered to bloom or send out new growth.