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| I admit I cut back perennials to only a limited extent in the fall, mostly because of laziness/other pressing duties. I'm ahead of schedule currently, mostly because squirrels were using a couple clumps of ornamental grass as a springboard to leap onto a bird feeder and slurp up all the goodies, so I cut them back close to the ground and was impressed by how neat that area looked for a change.
Then I picked up a copy of Organic Gardening magazine and saw a piece on how you should leave everything untrimmed until spring to provide food and habitat for birds and other animals, including the statement that cleanup is easier in the spring. I think most of us would agree that last claim is nonsense - it's simpler to cut back now than to deal with damp, rotting stringy stalks and leaves in springtime, not to mention compacting the soil and risking damage to emerging shoots. And the article failed to mention the possible need to eliminate disease and overwintering bugs which fall cleanup can help. If I can get to it before snow hits, I plan to cut back as far as possible. There's plenty of surrounding untouched habitat for the myriad creatures in the yard and I'll put out an extra suet ball or two if I feel too guilty for cutting back perennials. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| I've always been a spring cleaner. I like to leave plant stalks and spent flower heads to attract birds and for winter interest. Leaving stalks on the plants can help gather snow for extra protection for marginal plants. Clean up is a breeze in spring. Much of the debris has broken down, and it's an easy matter to give the gardens their intitial spring clean then. By waiting for spring, I spend much less time on cleanup. The trick is waiting until the soil is dry. We have a lot of gardens, so I am almost fanatical about getting work done in the fall so there is more time in the spring. Except for cleanup.
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Wed, Nov 16, 11 at 12:40
| hey eric you do.. what you want to do.. when YOU WANT TO DO IT ... frankly.. most plants do NOT care ... of course there are some that require action.. but most of them have been hanging around for millions of years .. w/o us messing with them .. ken |
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| I basically do half and half. I clean up almost all of the annuals in the fall. I cut down perennials like Peonies, Asclepias, Phlox, and some of the Monarda which tend to be mildewy. I do leave up many of the perennials that have seed heads like Rudbeckia, Echinacea, Agastache foeniculum, and some Monarda, because the Goldfinches and Juncos will pick at seeds through the winter. I don't cut the ornamental grasses down until the Spring, because they do have winter interest, and some provide seeds for the birds. Although if there's lots of snow then they will be mashed up by Spring. Some perennials do best with their stalks and foliage left intact to protect the crown of the plant, especially through our cold wet winters. Buddleia is one plant that should definitely not be cut down until spring. Bad bugs may find a winter haven in foliage and mulch, but so do good bugs - like moths and butterflies. This year I'm going to be careful about removing mulch around the perennials that the voles seem to like, at least until the ground is frozen! |
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- Posted by Bumblebeez z7b Seneca SC (My Page) on Wed, Nov 16, 11 at 21:21
| I clean up now but we have mild winters. I leave semi hardy woody perennials only cut back by half then in the spring cut back to where I want. Winter is my time to do garden maintenance and clean up, summer is too hot. |
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| I agree with Ken. I do the cleanup now because I want to. Some years, I'm a total fanatic and make sure every-single-thing is cut down and composted, every dead leaf is picked up, etc. etc. Other years not so much. It just depends on my mood. I guess I can appreciate others who are into the "winter interest" thing. I am not. I could care less. When the snow comes, I have no interest in even looking at the garden. I like the break from it all. And seriously, when you live in a climate where 6 feet of snow is not unusual, how much "winter interest" can there be when everything is buried? Now the habitat for birds and animals thing: I guess birds are fine, but why on earth would I want to encourage squirrels, rabbits, racoons, mice and voles to move into my yard? Why on earth would I do that? I spend the spring and summers months trying to make my garden as inhospitable to those critters as possible? Why would I want them to take up winter residence in my yard? Would they kindly move out come spring? I doubt it. Judge me as you wish. Come spring, I do not shed a tear in finding an occasional frozen bunny body. I do not. Kevin |
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- Posted by purpleinopp 8b AL (My Page) on Thu, Nov 17, 11 at 11:49
| I remove stalks that are too big to be decomposed by spring - if I feel like it. The urge to put them in the compost is usually overwhelming and you're totally right about the neat appearance. It can happen even if you didn't mean to do it - it starts with 1 stalk and next thing you know, whole bed's a clean slate. Since I pour leaves on the beds, I like to have some existing debris there or the leaves just blow away. If you just leave everything "as is" with no added leaves, which I've often done if I didn't have the time or enough leaves, it's really cool how the dead stalks and different clumps of leaves let you know exactly where everything is. Stalks that would have needed to be cut for removal in the fall often just come apart in your hands in the spring, a lot easier. Slimy is great with me, just leave that there. The good news is that either way is fine and it's something each person gets to decide as they see fit. terrene, I also thought of Buddleia when I read this thread. bumble, you're right about the heat. There's only 4 months here when it's cool enough to do heavy outside work without melting. Kevin, I agree, the birds are one thing, but if I realize I've got a rodent or snake habitat, I'm eradicating that immediately, no matter what time of year. I hope the bunnies just stay away so I don't have to balance "Oh how CUTE" with "nasty varmint ate my plant!" |
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| I was trying to think of what other wildlife we have in the city and really couldn't think of any other than the ones I listed. We don't have deer where I live and Lord knows I wouldn't want them around any time of the year. No fox to my knowledge. No coyotes where I'm at, but they could be interesting if you don't have pets. I've heard opossums are already here (constantly moving northward), but I've never seen one. It might be fun to have some wild turkeys. They've moved into some parts of the city, but again not where I'm at. Maybe with a bit more time. I wonder if they would hassle the squirrels? That would be nice. Kevin |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Thu, Nov 17, 11 at 13:59
| I agree with Ken. I do the cleanup now because I want to. Some years, I'm a total fanatic and make sure every-single-thing is cut down and composted, every dead leaf is picked up, etc. etc. ===>>> it depends on your personality .. type A or B... lol ... i usually wonder .... on said questions.. whether they have a sanitary house .. lol .. if you are compulsive enough to keep house like your mother did.. then you are probably out there.. vacuuming your garden in fall.. otherwise.. your head would explode over the winter .. knowing it wasnt perfect ... lol .. i am glad to know.. aach is variable over any given year.. lol as i said.. it really is just a personality issue.. and all the power to ya.. whichever way you choose ... over the years.. i have devolved to simply not caring ... this happened when i moved to 5 acres.. and simply can not do it.. if i wanted to ... [and to be frankly honest.. the house devolved right along with the garden.. whats that all about... ] i guess i am now a type B gardener ... i just dont care ... and whatever plant required anything special.. passed away long ago .... 2 summers ago.. i had bad iris borer.. so last fall i did cut all the iris down .. and had none this summer .... but i just cant seem to care this fall .. ah.. what the heck.. wing it .... ken |
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| If I'm feeling ambitious and the weather is nice, and I'm out there anyhow because I have to plant late-season bargains I bought, I'll cut down things that look ratty or otherwise I'm sick of seeing, like bloomed-out monarda. I figure fall cleanup may be the only time some of my plants enjoy the good air circulation they crave. I do try to leave seedhead snacks for the birds, but some things are so ugly, I can't stand to leave them be (assuming adequate ambition, nice weather and must-plant bargains). Blackened echinacea, eupatoriums and the like tend to get whacked. But no way would I bother cleaning up things like melted hosta. And then there are things like hibiscus, which I know I'll forget about their placement if I don't leave the tops, and things I don't think want to be cut back. I, too, am okay with the spring slime. |
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| I like to cut back now for most perennials. I have way too much to do in spring, and it does make it so much easier to winter mulch around them if trimmed back. That being said, there are some that I leave till spring. Ones that benefit from their own leaves as mulch such as my heucheras, coreopsis, and agastaches. Most are now cut back already. I also don't cut all the way to the ground. I cut back to about 6 inches from the ground. |
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