Is It Time To Chop Down The Meadow?
It looks like the forums could use something to ponder.
The native plant people like to tell you not to chop down your end of season dead perennials until the late spring, if at all, cause bugs. Like with most garden advice - that depends. For me that applies over a broad expanse. Some people and some gardens need to be tidier than that over the winter. And some people don't garden for bugs. They prefer the plants.
There is no one size fits all, when or how or if about cutting down the perennials over the winter. It can be done in one fell swoop early or late, or in a slow intimate portrayal of decay. You can pick and choose what gets chopped down. Some plants have better freeze dried winter bone structure than others.
Growing inside this meadow is an evergreen garden planted specifically for winter. The meadow has to get chopped down. But when? I like decay. The slow natural reveal is fun to observe. But winter is here. This part of the garden is the first to get chopped down. I compromise with the native plant - bug theory and do a chop and drop. The bug will be fine lying down.
How do you put your perennials down for the winter?
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