I really think it depends on where you live. Those in the east and the north with very cold weather and heavy snows or in areas with heavy rain seem to cut them back to prevent disease and pest problems. Out here in California (and I noticed Bonnie in Arkansas) we don't have to cut them back drastically.
I just keep pulling dead and dying leaves off, but I don't worry about the tips. I leave any green leaves on the plant.
The thing is that the leaves are where photosynthesis happens. The longer the leaves stay on the plant the more the plant can produce the sugars that it converts to the starch that is stored in the rhizomes. That's how your rhizome growth and increase occur. That's why the California rhizomes tend to get so big...they grow practically year-round.
There is no advantage to leaving the leaves on if you don't have any warm sunny weather for photosynthesis to occur or if everything is going to freeze and die anyway...and there is a higher risk of rot and pests if dead leaves become wet and soggy and lay on top of the rhizomes. So in those conditions it's probably better to use one of the methods to cut back the leaves.
As someone else said ....clear as mud, right?
I glad you stopped by the forum!
...and come back and visit us again to tell us what you decided and how it worked out!
