Should I cut down these perrenials every year?

Question

I have a number of new plants this year in my flower gardens. I normally work with annuals and now have perrenials as the plating every year gets old. Do I need to cut back perrenials in the Fall, and if so, how much? I have lavender bushes, asiatic lillies, hastas, ruber plants, and baby's breath to name the bulk.

Answer 1

Perennials will die off then you can cut them back. If you don't do anything they will eventually  freeze off and you can clean up your beds then. Perennials come back every year from the root. This is called the mother plant. After they get bigger you can dig up the whole plant in early spring before it gets big or the fall and divide it for more. some of your blooming plant may have had seeds that will fall to the ground and they will also come back in the spring.

Answer 2

Some people do, I do not because by the time they are ready to go to seed it's late in the year.  I just leave them as is and if you have cold winters the plant helps to protect the roots.

That is on just the flowers you named, some perennials I do cut back especially if it's a vining plant.

Answer 3

I would not cut back your lavender.  I usually wait until spring to do most of my cutting back on other things.

Answer 4

Some perennials can be cut down I cut my hostas and  Lillie's. My baby's breath is a bush and I don't cut it back. My rule is If the frost kills it and falls over to the ground I cut it. May I add some of your perennials make good dried flowers the lavender would be pretty as a dried flower I usually tie something arround a bunch of it and put in baskets ,vases my porch , door wreath or so much more.