As autumn gracefully concedes to the next season, I thought it might be fun to take a look back on the season that was. As evidenced in the photos that my friend sent me a few weeks ago, fall leaves were stunning this season:
Now that winter is nearly upon us, make sure you've put your garden to bed and tidied up all your horticultural tools so they'll be in tip-top shape come Spring. Clean all your implements with soap and water, then wipe down blades with a rag coated in veggie oil. Just like work-worn hands, garden tools need moisture to stay fresh and useful.
Now's the time to prune bearded iris, catmint, beebalm, crocosmia, daylily, peony, liatris and corydalis (to name just a few). Remove the spent leaves to reduce the chance of attracting fungus and other diseases.
Although most perennials can indeed be cut back in fall, there are always exceptions. The obvious ones that jump into my mind are chrysanthemum, butterfly weed, iris and coral bells. These plants all prefer to stand through the winter, using their own foliage to protect themselves and provide a food source for next year's bloom.
As I've often mentioned, perennial grasses look divine when dusted with snow, so let them stand until they get beaten down under inches of the white stuff--then cut them back to a few inches above ground level. Leave hydrangeas alone. Next year's blossoms (blue and pink bloomers) will take place on existing stems (you can always remove spent flowers). NEVER prune rose bushes in fall. Wait until new growth begins each Spring, then carefully cut back old wood.
A little TLC now will go a long way toward making your garden glorious next year, and beyond.
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