Perennials – Winter Care and Fertilizing

Perennials

End of growing season options

Option A: In late fall after a number of good frosts cut back perennials to about 3″ and remove the debris.

Advantages: This method reduce the possible reintroduction of this years insect and disease problems into the next year. The job is done and you don’t have to do it in a wet or muddy spring season .

Option B: Leave the plants standing though the winter and cut the plants back in early spring before any new plant growth.

Advantages: Many perennials have attractive forms, seed pods and textures that add interest to the winter look of the garden. (If you are seeing any disease problems you will want to clean out your beds in fall and burn or remove the debris)

Newly planted or divided perennials should receive a layer of evergreen boughs put down after the ground has frozen. This will help keep the ground frozen more consistently and this reducing the chances of frost pushing the plants out of the ground. Boughs should be taken up in early April.

Please note, a few plants should not be cut back every year: Pig squeak, Hens and Chick, Rattlesnake Master, Lavender, Coral bells, and Russian Sage. Dead leaves and debris can be removed in mid spring when you can tell what is dead.

By fertilizing young perennials you will increase both the size and the amount of flowers on the plant. Granular or liquid fertilizers can be used. Granular types are either worked into the soil around the plants at a rate of 2 lbs or 2 pints per 100 sq. ft. of planting bed. This is best done in early spring before new growth and only done one time per year. Multi Purpose 10-10-10 Fertilizer by Greenview works well.

Using liquid fertilizer ( Miracle Gro 20-20-20) is done the same way as watering, but with fertilizer mixed in. It should be done 3 or 4 times per year starting in late April and stopping in mid July. Organic fertilizers, like manure, can also be used with good results. The material should be worked into open soil at a rate of one bushel per 100 sq. ft. of bed area.

Almost all perennials will need to be divided at some time to improve their health, some every 3 years others can go 50 years. In general, divide spring and summer blooming plants in fall. Divide late summer and fall blooming plants in spring.