DENVER — This is the worst possible time to cut back anything--not shrubs, not roses, not ornamental grasses, not iris.
Some people still insist on "putting the garden to bed" by chopping everything to the ground. That hasn't been considered good horticultural practice for over half a century.
Pruning encourages new growth. If you prune roses now, for example, they'll try to put out new growth on warm fall days. That new growth is susceptible to cold. When it freezes, the new growth will die, and sometimes take the whole plant with it.
The only time to prune roses is in spring.
Ornamental grasses have four seasons of beauty. Winter is one of them. that's the whole point of growing them. Learn to appreciate them in their freeze-dried glory. The proper time to cut them back is in late winter or spring.
Many perennials have great fall color and beautiful winter form. Leaving the plants alone also makes for an important habitat. Birds eat the seeds. The habitat also benefits butterfly cocoons, lady bugs and bumblebees. Don't disrupt a healthy ecosystem.
In addition, the freeze-dried top growth helps protect the crowns of the perennials. The crown is the base of the plant from which new growth will emerge in spring.
Do your cutting back in early spring when the new growth starts in order to expose it to the sun.
It is fine, however, to clean up and pull vegetables after you finish harvesting. Leave everything else alone.
More Proctor's Garden
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