When and how is it done?

Cutting perennials in autumn - when does it make sense?

Many perennials can or should even be cut in autumn so that the plants can start with renewed energy in spring. In addition, by pruning in autumn you avoid a messy-looking garden in winter.

Especially for perennials that grow during their Heyday If you spend a lot of time, cutting in autumn is highly recommended. Cockade flowers and Hollyhocks are examples of corresponding plants. With a pruning in autumn you extend the basic lifespan of such perennials.

There is another major advantage of autumn pruning: the stems are still tight, so that the plants can be worked on easily. The perennials often become soft and mushy over winter, making pruning more difficult in spring.

Not to forget that with an autumn cut there is no problem with the new shoot, which of course has no interest in the Secateurs to get in touch.

Recommendations for pruning

Cut off faded perennials to about ten centimeters above the ground. Be careful not to cut off the newly formed hibernating buds. The plants want to sprout from these again in the new season.

• Use secateurs or special shrubs to cut the perennials. The latter cuts many stalks at once. If you are dealing with robust ground cover, you can also go to Pole hedge trimmer grab this as a Scythe insert. To do this, simply bend the cutting head.
• Only use really sharp tools to ensure that you are cutting the perennials properly and not crushing them.
• When cutting roses, the scissors must be completely clean and disinfected to prevent the transmission of pathogens.
• After shortening the perennials, clean your tools so that the sap does not dry out.

Which perennials refuse an autumn cut

Evergreen perennials like that Candytuft or golden strawberries should only be cut back in autumn if they overgrow too much. Otherwise it is better to let them stand (except for diseased parts of the plant, which you must always remove to prevent diseases). This is how you counteract bare-looking beds.

Some perennials enrich the garden in winter with their attractive fruit and seed heads, for example the height Sedum plant, the yarrow or the lantern flower. In addition, the dried up seed heads are an important source of food for birds in the cool season and a practical place to stay for beneficial insects.

Note: Uncut perennials are better protected from frost and cold. That means you In general, do not cut frost-sensitive perennials until spring should.