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To cut back or not to cut back...
Peanuts3
Posts: 759
I have some spicata I think they are. The leaves are looking poorly with little spots on but there is lots of new growth coming through.
Should I be cutting back the older growth to allow the new growth to come through or do I need to leave the older growth on to protect it over winter...
the bit at the bottom of the photo is where I started cutting it back and then thought about whether that is right ?
So much to learn... Thank you for any advice.
0
Posts
Like a lot of perennials the old leaves get a bit mildewed in late summer. I'd just cut back all the old growth now.
I've never been convinced about the common advice that hardy perennials need protecting from frost by leaving the foliage on.
I tend to leave seed heads, and then have a mass tidy up in February or March, to enable new growth to come through easily. If its mildewed, you might as well chop it off.