Investing your time this fall will reap benefits next spring.

There are many theories out there when it comes to the level of care that should occur in a
perennial garden. Some like the perennials winter beauty or the fact that they can be a haven
for birds and pollinators. Perennials can certainly go into the winter season without being cut
back at all.

The reason that debris should be cleared from a perennial garden ties in with the Integrated
Pest Management philosophy known as sanitation. Removing dead leaves, stems and petioles
of plants such as Daylilies and Hosta’s can help reduce disease levels and eggs of insects and
slugs next year. By cleaning up perennial beds now, plants will have a clean slate to start next
spring. Untrimmed perennial beds become a haven for blowing leaves and then leaves tend to
cover up crowns of plants attracting mice and other rodents which will eat plant tissues.
Allowing leaves to pile up also can encourage perennial crowns to begin sprouting too early in
the spring which is not desirable. When done cleaning up beds a layer of Morgan Composting
Dairy Doo will give plants a head start for next year and help soil biology.