Do you cut back hostas for winter?

My neighbor has started cutting back his perennial garden, and I was wondering if I should do the same in my garden. It seems too early to be cutting back perennials, and some of the ones in my garden are still looking pretty good for this late in the season. Am I missing something here?

Índice Show

Caring For Hostas In The Fall
What happens if you don't cut hostas back?
Should I cut back hostas before winter?
How do I prepare my hostas for winter?
Will hostas regrow if cut back?

— Nancy Greenberg, Barrington

I prefer to leave perennials up for winter interest and cut them back in spring. Many perennials add considerable winter interest to a garden, and I prefer a more natural look in the winter, rather than a clean and tidy appearance. Many gardeners cut back their perennials much too soon. There are nuances specific to certain perennials that dictate whether it is better to cut them back in fall or spring, but the general rule I like to follow is to only cut back perennials that start looking bad in fall.

For example, many hosta cultivars have nice fall color. They are often cut back during early fall cleanup. Hostas will flatten out and get mushy after they have been frosted a few times — that is when I would clean them up. While it is a good idea to cut back hostas in very late fall, I often run out of time and do not cut them back until spring with no harmful effects. Peony foliage is also best cut back late in the fall, as it collapses from freezing weather.

Day lilies tend to look ragged in late summer or early fall, so I try to cut them back at that time, well before a killing frost. They often send up some new growth after being cut back.

A few perennials emerge in late spring and are easy to accidentally damage while working in the spring garden. Leave a 2- to 3-inch portion of perennials such as rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos), butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) and balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) aboveground so that you can see their location in spring before growth starts.

Then there are plants that produce a clump of new leaves at ground level late in the season, such as Shasta daisies and globe thistle. You can cut down the flower stalks and stems of these plants, but leave the basal foliage undisturbed. Avoid cutting back low-growing, semi-evergreen perennials, such as some hardy geraniums, coral bells, hellebores and dianthus in fall, and clean them up in spring as needed. The foliage of these plants will be decent-looking.

Goldfinches and other birds feed on seed heads of plants such as black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) and purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), adding another reason to delay cutting most perennials back until spring.

Cut back and discard the foliage of any perennials with disease problems. Since most home compost piles do not get hot enough to kill disease organisms, it is best to discard diseased foliage off-site. Some bee balm (Monarda) and phlox (Phlox paniculata) cultivars will commonly get powdery mildew and should be cut back in the fall to help reduce the chance of infection the following year. Most annual flowers should be cut back once they get frozen. Certain annuals such as zinnias, cosmos and coreopsis can hold interest later in the season, so leave them up until spring, or cut them once they start looking unattractive in late fall.

If you want to prune your hostas for winter, wait until after the first hard freeze in the fall. The hosta will start to turn brown, at which point you can cut it back all the way to ground level with sharp pruning shears. If you prefer, you can leave a few inches above the ground to mark the location of your plant. Cover the ground with mulch, and then wait for your healthy hosta to reappear in the spring. For tips on removing hosta flowers, keep reading!

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When it comes to caring for your hostas this fall, a few little tasks will go a long way in creating healthier plants in your flowerbeds next year. And that means hostas with brighter color, bigger foliage, and more robust bloom sets!

Hosta plants are one of the most popular perennials of all. With their early spring growth and mid-summer blooms, they fill flowerbeds with big-time color and interest.

But by summer’s end, the leafy plants are often left tattered and torn. Their once proud heart-shaped leaves are often riddled with holes and damage. Either from pests and wildlife looking for a meal, or from the pure hot and dry conditions summer throw at them.

By late summer and early fall, many hosta plants can look a bit worn out. Attacks from slugs and other pests can take their toll, leaving the plants looking more than defeated.

As the plants begin to slowly deteriorate, it can certainly make for unsightly flowerbeds. But even more, it can leave hostas weak and fragile, not only affecting the health of the plant this year, but how it will perform next year as well.

The good news is that fall just happens to be the perfect time for a little hosta care. Not just for cutting them back and preparing them for winter, but also for dividing and transplanting overgrown plants too.

Here is a look at how and when to cut your hosta plants back – along with how to split, divide and transplant overgrown plants to create even more hostas for free!

Caring For Hostas In The Fall

When & How To Cut Back Hostas

When it comes right down to it, hostas are a very hardy and durable perennial. In fact, although their foliage can be decimated by insects or completely devoured by hungry deer or rabbits, it is hard to actually kill the entire plant.

Hostas are herbaceous perennials. And they draw all of their resources for foliage growth from their short, tuberous roots known as rhizomes. And these roots are incredibly hardy and tough.

We love our hostas, and create tons of new plants every fall by digging up our oversized plants and dividing them into new starts. It keeps plants healthy, strong, and manageable too!

If you have even been so unfortunate to have your hostas visited by deer during the growing season, you are probably well aware that even when they munch down the plant to within inches of the ground, the hosta will regrow its foliage time and time again.

This is important to remember for late summer and fall care. If a plant has been decimated by insects or animals, it is more than okay to simply cut it back to the ground.

If there is enough warm weather left, it will happily regrow its foliage. And even better, in the process, improve the look of your flowerbeds in the process.

Cutting Back After A Frost – How To Care For Hostas In The Fall

Once a heavy frost or hard freeze occurs in the fall, your hostas will shrivel away quickly. At this point, it is time to cut the foliage back for good and prepare the plants for winter.

Although you can leave the foliage in place through winter, it is better to remove the spent leaves in fall. Why? For starters, the dead foliage can harbor both insects and disease over winter. In addition, leaving the decaying leaves in place can also be quite unsightly.

Once a hard freeze or frost hits your hosta plants, they will quickly shrivel down and begin to decay. At this point, it is time to cut back the plants down to the surface.

To cut back, simply use a sharp pair of garden or hedge shears and cut to within an inch or so of the ground. Finish by adding a few inches of mulch on top to protect the roots from winter’s fury.

One thing you do not want to do at this point is fertilize. Fertilizing perennials late in the fall will cause unwanted late and very tender growth. And that can leave the plant highly susceptible to freezing out over the winter. (See : Why Not To Fertilize Perennials In The Fall)

Dividing & Transplanting – How To Care For Hostas In The Fall

Late summer and early fall also happen to be a great time to split and transplant overgrown hostas. Not only will this help to keep the size of your hostas manageable in their space, it also allows you to get more plants for free.

Once divided and transplanted, new hostas may send up shoots in late fall if the weather is warm enough. This will not harm the plant, and the new foliage will simply die off with the first frost or hard freeze.

For best results, trim the foliage down to within a few inches of the ground. Next, dig around the outer edges of the roots and lift the root ball out of the ground.

Don’t stress if you happen to cut into a few of the tuberous roots while digging, they can handle a bit of damage with ease. Once out of the ground, turn the root ball over and divide it by slicing through the roots with the blade of a shovel or a sharp garden knife.

Replanting New Divisions – How To Care For Hostas In The Fall

The size of the new plants the following year will fall in line with the size of the cuttings. The larger the cutting, the larger the plant will grow in the first year.

Finish by replanting the divisions into their new location. Dig the new hole to about one-and-a-half times the size of the cutting. Next, mix in equal amounts of compost and soil and plant the new division so that the crown of the roots is level to the surface of the ground.

Simply water and mulch, and your new plants will be ready to roll come spring! By getting them in at least a few weeks before your first frost, you will give the roots time establish in the soil.

In fact, if the weather stays warm enough, your new transplant cuttings might even send up a few new shoots and leaves. It will not harm the plant, and they will simply die back once the first frost hits.

Here is to giving your hosta plants a little attention this fall. And, to healthier plants and bigger blooms next year! Happy Gardening – Jim and Mary.

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What happens if you don't cut hostas back?

The good news is that hostas, also known as plantain lilies, are tough and forgiving plants. Even if you forget to prune them at a certain time or you neglect to prune them at all, they'll still survive just fine, even if they don't look their best.

Should I cut back hostas before winter?

Hostas should be cut back in late fall. Healthy hosta leaves can be left on the plant in early fall to capture much-needed energy, but all leaves should be trimmed off after the first frost to deter slugs and other pests from making your hosta their winter home.

How do I prepare my hostas for winter?

Spread a layer of mulch around the plant before the first frost. This will help to insulate the root system when cold weather arrives and can also help retain moisture after heavy rain. Additionally, mulch will deter the growth of weeds, which would otherwise leach moisture and soil nutrients from your hosta plant.

Will hostas regrow if cut back?

This is important to remember for late summer and fall care. If a plant has been decimated by insects or animals, it is more than okay to simply cut it back to the ground. What is this? If there is enough warm weather left, it will happily regrow its foliage.