Do I cut my perennial flowers and grasses for winter?

Q: Do I cut my perennial flowers and ornamental grasses back in the fall or the spring?

A: In general, it doesn’t really matter to the plant. Dead stems are dead stems and can be cut back at any time.  I like to leave as many plants uncut as possible for winter interest, habitat for beneficial insects and other wildlife. My gardens that face public areas need to be kept looking neat and tidy so as individual plants become unattractive during the winter,  I will prune them back, giving them a final cut back in April as new growth pushes. 

In my non-public areas, I typically leave everything uncut for the winter.  When I tidy up in spring I will cut plant stems into small 1-2” pieces and let them fall as mulch around the plants.  Some stems are too tough to cut up with pruning shears, so I’ll run them through a shredder and return the clippings to the border.  Over the years this builds a healthy soil, conserves moisture and returns nutrients to the plants.