Chris I loved the article. It is encouraging me to get out and start working through the perennial beds. I do like to leave the dried seed heads for the birds though, I can still clean up leaves. : )

I hate the untidy look of the beds when they aren't cleaned up...but I like to feed the birds. I try to throw the seedy tops of plants to the side and then arrange them into big bouquets to hang on the fence. I had one of the worst springs of my garden's life trying to do the cleanup without compacting the soil and killing all of the perennials, so I won't wait until then again

Great article, Chris! But I have to say I'm on team spring cleanup... All of the fallen leaves mulch our gardens for the harsh winter ahead, and honestly, I keep my gardens going as long as possible. I'm very reluctant to put it to bed before it's time... and in the spring, DH and I can't wait to get out there and clean, prune, plant, and build. So for me, fall is a time to just enjoy the last days of the garden, and spring is the time to re-new, re-build, clean up and plant.

Good thoughtful article, Chris. I take care of the leaves in the Fall and the rest in the Spring.

same here.. leaves gone in fall.. flower heads in spring

Appreciate your comments! June, what a great idea to make bouquets of the seed heads and hang them on the fence for the birds. That's something I will definitely do this fall. Thanks!

Nice article, thank you. I'm working on mine already.

I am a "clean up in the fall" gardener too. With so many chores to do in the spring, I prefer my gardens are ready to get growing, rather than let all plant material stand during winter. Great article!

I'm a fall clean-up. I have a lot of Echinacea and they would be everywhere if not cut back, Generally it is also easier to do the clean-up in fall.I don't cut back Ferns they overwinter better when not cut. Also don't cut down the large Ornamental Grasses, I like the way snow looks on them in winter.

I leave my ornamental grasses stand through the winter too for the same reason. Grasses and shrubs provide my winter interest in the gardens.

With perennials, I cut everything to the ground (literally) and rake it off to a composting area. I don't leave a foot of stems, or an inch of stems - TO THE GROUND. I do this in my own gardens and those of my clients. This prevents insects, their eggs, and small critters from overwintering in the plants. Also removes any fungally-infected leaves that could become potential problems the following season. A clean garden at the beginning of the season is MUCH easier to weed before weeds really take hold.

Perennials become one of two things if uncut over the winter: slimy and repulsive to clear off in the Spring (daylilies and other soft-leaved plants) or woody and splintery (Phlox and other tall, strong-stemmed plants). Both are incompatible with an efficient clean up in the Spring. Weeding around last year's daylilies is nasty and around last year's phloxes is painful.

I, too, love my grasses, but they get cut with everything else because the winds and snows of Winter break them into pieces and (if I left them) I would need to spend an entire day picking up the razor-sharp pieces in the Spring.

It's a no brainer.

I like to do it in the spring with Daylilys and Hostas... being from MN, the added cover helps the plants over winter. Some plants I cut back in the fall, like the black-eye susans and the safe and the Cone Flowers and the clematis etc etc... I guess I am a Fall AND Spring gal!!!

I best get to my pile of mulch -- we have spring, summer and mulch for our garden season!!!

Kate, when I cut back my plants, it's all the way to the ground too. Otherwise I end up with 6" pieces of everything I have to cut back in the spring anyway.

Yes, mulch is a wonderful thing, isn't it! Do you have a lot of clematis Christine? I think the black-eyed Susans are one of the worst I have for reseeding everywhere.

My Blackeyed Susan doesn't seem to reseed here. It does make runner plants though.

Kate and Chris: when you speak of cutting perennials to the ground, I get phlox, echies, but are what about iris, asian, oriental, and daylillies, roses? Those too?

I do leave about 6" fans on my iris standing, I don't have roses so can't help there. Daylilies get cut down to the ground and my asiatic and oriental lilies have usually dried up enough that I can just pull the brown stalks right out of the ground without disturbing the bulbs.

I leave the Black eyed susans for the little winter critters and yes -- they reseed and go crazy here.
I also leave the Clemantis - cut the sticks off in the Spring!!
I do cut my Iris's back to about 6 inches.
I usually cut Dayliliys back in the fall if they have been in the ground for over a year... else if they are new this year I leave them.
Asiatic/Oriental - cut back like Iris.. or pull them right out like Chris.
Hosta's leave them and deal with the mess in the spring time!!

I'm all for fall clean-up, too. I yank most annuals but on a few I just cut off at ground level and leave the roots to feed the worms. Most perennials I cut to within a few inches from the ground. That way, if my labels blow away or get broken by deer stomping them, the remaining sticks serve as the markers.

I often try to mulch the cleaned beds with mulched leaves, then wet them to keep them there. Still, most blow away in the winter winds.

Karen