Fall Cleanup of Perennial Beds
Clearing up the perennial bed is an important task.
With a hard frost past in most areas, fall cleanup of the perennial beds should be underway. Here is what to do and why.
Cleaning up the perennial beds is an important task that needs to be done after the hard freeze has killed the annual and tender perennial foliage. The clean up will help keep the garden neat and tidy as well as stop fungal diseases from spreading. Dead leaves and plant material will deteriorate and have the potential to harbor fungus and molds that can be transmitted to the soil. Fusarium wilt and other host specific problems can be alleviated by clearing the foliage to the compost and not planting the same thing in that bed next year.
Annuals and perennials include tomatoes, petunias and other plants where the foliage is killed by cold temperatures. These plants need to have the whole plant taken out of the ground, and removed to the compost pile. It is not usually difficult to do this, as the stem may be quite woody by the end of the summer and pulling the whole plant out using the stem, will be easy.
Tender bulbs that you plan on storing until next year, such as cannas, dahlia, and gladiolus all need to have the browned foliage removed before you dig them up. Dig the bulbs on a dry day so you avoid adding to the dampness of the bulb. Let the bulbs/tubers dry on newspaper or in a garage so that they are surface dry before storing. Place the bulbs in dry sand, peat moss or newspaper in a box for storage. My personal preference is the cheap storage boxes from Walmart/Target or other such place, and use that. The lids are secure, the boxes are solid enough to place on above another, and they are waterproof as well as mice proof. Store the boxers in a cool place that will not get below freezing.
Perennial likewise need to have the foliage removed. This is usually a case of just pulling the old leaves of the hostas off the plant crown, but if the leaves are not quite ready for that then snip them off. Salvias and monardas and other perennials will probably need clippers to cut the stems off about an inch or two above the ground. Removal of old foliage from Hellebores is a matter of choice depending on where you are. If the winter is mild and you want to see some green, then leave the darker leaves on the plant. In a more formal garden you may want to remove them, and let the lighter new growth come through.
Borderline perennials that are to be left outside should be given a good layer of mulch at the end of the year. Do not do this too early as mice and other animals may find homes among them.
So with a mulch of fall leaves and all the old foliage removed, your plants can nestle into winter with the best preparation possible. A clean perennial bed will ensure that fungus and disease is not transmitted to the garden when it revives next spring.
