To cut back or to not cut back…….that is the question.

At the very end of the season I had Tony, the owner of Golden Leaf Landscaping, come and trim my tall cedar hedge. After he finished pruning he asked me about when was the best time to cut back perennials and he was surprised that I hadn’t cut mine back.

While it’s tempting to cut back the whole flower garden in the Fall, it can be nice to leave some perennials standing throughout the winter months. The seeds of Echinacea and Rudbeckia will attract and feed the birds; Sedum will hold onto snow like frosting. There are also plants that like the protection their foliage provides for their crowns. Chrysanthemums and Heuchera fare best if cleaned up in the Spring.

Some perennials don’t handle rough weather well. They won’t remain attractive after frost and they have recurrent problems with pests and diseases, which will over winter in their fallen foliage and surface in Spring. These perennial flowers are best cut down in Fall, which would include Bearded Iris, Beebalm, Gaillardia, Catmint, Peonies and Daylilies.