Preparing Perennials for Fall

I now live where my perennials do well all winter and do not need much special preparation in the fall. When I lived in a colder clime, I found that they would come back the next spring if I took certain steps. I always made sure the flowers were removed before the first frost. Many did not make it if the frost got them while there were flowers on the plant.

At the same time, I would remove most of the above ground plant.

This varies by species, but many need to be hard pruned to endure cold winters. I like to put pine straw or other type of mulch to prevent the frost from freezing the roots. Most of them would survive given this kind of treatment.

By Atoz from Pensacola, FL