Fall Perennial Cleanup: To Cut or Not to Cut? And Winter Mulching Tips

In Zone 5, wait until the first hard frost to cut back perennials. Some plants (see previous article) should not be cut to the ground.

Winter Mulching

Cutting too early stimulates tender growth that winter kills. Frost signals the plant to harden off.

For plant-specific advice, submit a list of your perennials.

Perennials: Should You Cut Back Knock Out Roses in Fall in Michigan?; Deadheading Roses – Snap, Don't Cut Low; Rose Pruning, Fertilizing, and Summer Care Basics for Beginners; Pruning a Leggy Drosera capensis—Cut the Old Stalk to Soil Level; Perennial Cutback Calendar: Spring vs. Fall Pruning for Healthier Gardens; Fall Garden Tasks: What to Do as the Season Winds Down; Choosing Groundcovers for a Rocky, North-Facing Indiana Site; Fall Cutback Guide for Perennials: Black-Eyed Susans, Daisies, Roses; Don't Bring Daisies and Violets Indoors for Winter—They Need Dormancy; Crapemyrtle Cut to the Ground: Will It Return?

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