Putting Perennials to Bed
A Guide to Winter Care
5 Simple Things You Can Do This Week to Help Your Perennials Hibernate Happy!
Hello Fellow Gardener,
It’s hot cocoa weather! As the days get shorter and the mornings start to bite, you might be wondering—what’s the deal with your perennials? Do they just hang out all winter, or is there something you need to do to make sure they come back happy and healthy in the spring?
Winter prep for your perennials is super simple, and I’m about to share 5 easy things you can knock out this week (between showers) to help your plants settle in for a cozy hibernation.
1. Give Them a Good Haircut (But Not Everyone!) See my list of many of the perennials that like an autumn haircut at the end of this post.
Think of this like trimming your hair before a long winter—just enough to keep things tidy. Cut back most of your perennials to about 2-3 inches above the ground. But here’s a tip: some plants, like ornamental grasses and sedums, actually prefer to stay standing through the winter. They look amazing with frost on them, too!
2. Mulch
If you do one thing, do this! Mulching is like throwing a warm blanket over your plants. Spread a 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch (like bark, straw, or even leaves) I like shredded leaves around the base of my perennials. This helps keep the ground temperature more stable and protects roots from frost heave. Plus, it locks in moisture—double win!
3. Divide and Conquer
If some of your perennials are starting to look crowded (we’re looking at you, hostas and daylilies!), now’s the perfect time to divide them. Dig them up, slice them into smaller chunks, and replant. It’ll give the plants room to grow and spread out next year—think of it like giving them their own space to stretch out during nap time.
4. Hydrate Before Hibernate (But Not This Year!)
Normally, as temperatures drop, I’d recommend giving your perennials one last deep drink before the first hard frost. This helps them build up a reserve of moisture, especially if it’s been a dry fall. However, this year Mother Nature has us covered! With all the rain we have coming up this week, there’s no need to water—your plants are already well-hydrated and ready for their winter nap. 🌧️
5. Skip the Fertilizer
I know it feels counterintuitive, but now is NOT the time to feed your plants. Fertilizing in the fall encourages new growth, and you don’t want that right before winter—those tender shoots won’t survive the cold. So, save the food for spring when they’re waking up and ready to feast.
That’s it! Five simple steps and your perennials will be tucked in tight for the winter, ready to burst back in the spring. Now go grab a hot drink, cozy up, and enjoy watching your garden get its beauty sleep. 🌿💤
Happy gardening!
Leola Young (and my AI PA)
Here's the list of perennials that like to be cut back in the fall.
Achillea (Yarrow)
Agastache (Anise Hyssop)
Alcea (Hollyhocks)
Alchemilla (Lady’s Mantle)
Aquilegia (Columbine)
Astilbe
Baptisia (False Indigo)
Bee Balm (Monarda)
Bleeding Heart (Dicentra)
Brunnera
Campanula (Bellflower)
Coreopsis
Daylilies (Hemerocallis)
Delphinium
Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)
Echinacea (Coneflower)
Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)
Geranium (Cranesbill)
Goldenrod (Solidago)
Helenium
Hostas
Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium)
Japanese Anemone
Liatris (Blazing Star)
Leucanthemum (Shasta Daisy)
Lupines
Monarda (Bee Balm)
Nepeta (Catmint)
Obedient Plant (Physostegia)
Peonies
Penstemon
Phlox (Phlox paniculata)
Platycodon (Balloon Flower)
Polemonium (Jacob’s Ladder)
Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
Salvia
Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum)
Veronica (Speedwell)
Veronicastrum (Culver's Root)