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silk0226 Shawnee Mission, KS Oct 19, 2008

I planted some perennials this past summer. Do I need to cut them back or just let them die where they stand? I know, it's a dumb question but that's why I'm here. LOL

Thanks!

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dp72 Woodway, TX(Zone 8a) Oct 19, 2008

Actually, that is a very GOOD question. The perennials will be sending down sugars to the roots to survive the winter, so let the tops alone until AFTER a freeze kills them to the ground, and THEN you can clean off the beds. I imagine that in KS most perennials do die back to the ground during your very cold winters.

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shebs45 Chicago, IL(Zone 5b) Oct 19, 2008

Hi silk,
It's certainly not a dumb question. I'm not sure if this is the correct answer, but what I do is just let them die and leave them until they start to regrow in the spring. I wait until new growth starts to come in before I cut back all the dead growth. This way you know where you planted them and won't accidentally pull them out when they start to grow in the spring thinking they're weeds.

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dp72 Woodway, TX(Zone 8a) Oct 19, 2008

shebs, that's a good thought. If silk doesn't know exactly where they are, that would help. Or silk could put a marker in the ground as a reminder and clear the ground if s/he doesn't want the dead tops sitting there all winter. It's a personal decision.

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NatureLover1950 Vicksburg, MS(Zone 8a) Oct 20, 2008

Just my two cents here--I let my plants die back and leave them until I'm sure the birds have picked off any seeds they want (and they always knock a few to the ground for self-sewing). Then I put markers and clean the dead plants up to make sure I don't get any crown rot from the dead plant matter. And I agree, it's not a dumb question. We all started out as newbies once. I wish I'd had such a forum when I first started gardening but we didn't even have computers back then :-)

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silk0226 Shawnee Mission, KS Oct 20, 2008

Thank you all so much for the info. Yes, it is great to have this forum to ask questions. I think I will just let nature take it's course and let them die off then cut them back. I'll let you all know how it goes.

:D

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