Question:
Should I cut back all my perennials this fall?Answer:
After the first frost in the fall, we are sometimes compelled to clean up the dead plant debris. While perennial plants can be cut back in fall after the foliage is destroyed by a hard freeze, it is often beneficial to wait until spring.
Benefits of Waiting Until Spring
Leaving the leaves, stems, dried flowers, and seed heads of many perennials provides more interest through the winter months. Leaving the plant materials also provides an extra layer of protection for the perennial's crown and root system. Plus, the dead stems and leaves collect fallen leaves, adding even more protection. Leaving plant material in place and removing it in early spring rather than fall also helps provide food and protection for native pollinators, beneficial insects, and wildlife, such as birds.
When to Cut Back in the Fall
While it is largely beneficial to leave foliage in place through winter, removing plant material in the fall after it naturally dies back should be done for perennials that had disease or insect pest issues during the summer. Additionally, those perennials that tend to be weedy or spread aggressively by seed benefit from late-season deadheading and clean up to prevent them from being too weedy.