Growing perennials is one of the easiest ways to keep the flowers coming all season long. Once planted, they continue to provide blooms year-after-year. It’s so rewarding to plant once and get an annual supply of beautiful blooms.

While the reward for growing perennials is regular blooms without having to replant, there’s still work associated with those plants. One of those important jobs is getting your perennials ready for the new season. Here’s how to get your perennial plant cleanup done quickly and efficiently.

Perennial Plant Cleanup For the New Season…

There are some basic tasks to complete each year as we move into spring. Keep in mind that some perennials will do better if these tasks are done in the fall rather than early spring. But for many of these plants, spring is the optimal time.

Here are the tasks to do as the new season gets underway.

Remove Dead Plant Material

Start the new season with a clean planting area. Last year’s stems and plant growth must go. If you leave the stems of peonies, phlox and other perennials too long, then you risk cutting into the fresh growth coming up.

Our job is to cut back the dead material to the base of the plant. It’s okay to leave an inch or two of the stems, but the majority should be removed. I like to leave a bit of the stems so I know where the plant is in the ground. That way, I don’t accidentally dig into a plant if I’m adding in something new before the older plant emerges.

Some gardeners choose to remove all perennial stems in the fall while others like to wait until the spring. It really is a matter of time and choice. I choose to leave most stems on the plant during the winter to provide food for the birds and a host site for pollinators. However, it’s a good idea to remove plant material that harbors disease or risk of pest issues in the fall. For this reason, I remove peony and phlox stems in the fall because they usually have powdery mildew. And I’ll also remove hosta leaves to reduce the risk of slugs.

Timing for this first step will depend on your climate and growing zone. In my northern zone 7 climate, mid to late March works well. The goal is to remove last year’s growth just as the plant pushes new growth out of the ground. You might find that you need to do this earlier or later, depending on when your perennials begin to pop up.

Here’s a list of some common perennials to cut back in the spring if you left them to overwinter:

• Peonies
• Echinacea
• Phlox
• Black-Eyed Susans/Rudbeckia
• Sedum
• Salvia
• Dianthus
• Coreopsis
• Daylilies
• Shasta Daisies
• Ornamental Grasses
• Astilbe
• Yarrow
• Veronica
• Baptisia
• Penstemon
• Hostas
• Bee Balm
• Liatris
• Columbine

While many perennials will need a complete cut back, some perennials just need to be tidied up. For these perennials, remove dead or damaged stems and leaves. Then shape the plant as needed. Some perennials that need a bit of cleanup rather than a complete cut back include:

• Heuchera
• Lamb’s Ear
• Pincushion Flower
• Hellebore

Divide Overgrown Perennials

Early spring is a good time to divide your perennials. Dividing keeps your perennials growing strong. Additionally, you get extra plants to spread around your garden for free. Hooray for free!

The best way to determine if it’s time to divide is to think back to last year. Did any plant have an empty center with the new growth only on the outside edge like a donut? If so, then it’s time to divide. Another beneficial reason to divide your perennials is if they’ve become overcrowded or have outgrown their space.

How do you know if you should divide in the spring or fall? As a general rule, if the plant blooms mid-summer to fall, then they can be divided in the spring. If the plant blooms in spring or early summer, it’s best to divide them in the fall.

Plants to divide in spring:

• Sedum
• Hosta
• Daylilies
• Bee Balm
• Artemesia
• Balloon Flower
• Penstemon
• Liatris
• Yarrow
• Salvia
• Black Eyed Susan
• Shata Daisies
• Delphinium
• Aster
• Echinacea
• Grasses

If you’re unsure when to divide a specific perennial, you’ll find a handy chart on this article… How to Divide 45 Perennials.

Fertilize Your Perennials

The next step in perennial plant cleanup is to give them a small dose of fertilizer. Most perennials do not need a heavy amount of fertilizer. You could actually harm your perennials if you over-fertilize. But a small dose of organic material can get the plants off to a good start.

The easiest way to do this is to spread a small amount of compost around your plants. Additional options include well aged manure, leaf mold, bone meal or worm castings. In addition, other natural choices could include fish emulsion and compost tea.

If you choose a man-made product, use a granular slow release fertilizer that is balanced in its nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Sprinkle the fertilizer around the plant and work it into the soil. Keep the fertilizer off of the plant crown and go easy on the amount you use. After spreading fertilizer, be sure to water the plants.

Mulch Your Perennial Beds

The last step in preparing your perennials for spring is to mulch the beds. Mulch does so many wonderful jobs in your garden. It helps retain moisture in the soil and keeps the plant roots cool in the heat of summer. Mulch will also reduce the growth of weeds in your flower beds. Who doesn’t want fewer weeds!

There are many options for mulch in our gardens. In a perennial bed, it’s best to stick to a natural material. For example, compost, leaf mold, cocoa shells, shredded leaves, and even whole leaves provide for a healthier plant. These organic mulches break down over time to add nutritional benefits to the garden soil as they decompose.

A Few Other Considerations…

As we prepare our perennial flower beds in the spring, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Assess Your Perennial Garden Beds

Spring is a good time to assess your perennial beds. Think about each growing area and what changes you need to make. As your plants wake up, for example, you might notice that some plants didn’t survive the winter months. Maybe your perennial bed doesn’t get as much sunlight as it once did. Or that the plants have outgrown the space available.

Here are a few questions to ask as you asses each garden area:

1. Did any plants not return? What do you want to replace them with?
2. Are any perennials overgrown and need to be divided?
3. Do you have plants that struggle with disease and need to be removed?
4. Do you have bare patches that need to be filled?
5. Are there plants that need to be moved because of changing conditions such as more or less light?

Plan Changes for Your Perennial Beds

Once you’ve fully assessed your perennial garden beds, create a plan for the new season. Do some research on new plants available for growing in your zone. Consider any changes you want to make and then move forward as we begin the garden for this new year.

A Word About Pollinators

Just a note about pollinator concerns. As we clean up our perennial beds in the spring, be aware that there is a potential for pollinators to still be in winter hibernation. As you clean up your plants, consider setting the hollow stems of plants aside in your garden rather than throwing them away. For example, echinacea, bee balm, milkweed, asters, black-eyed susans, raspberry canes and sunflowers can all be host to overwintering bees.

READ: 10 Proven Ways to Attract Pollinators to Your Garden All Season Long

Perennial plants are the backbone of many flower gardens. Making sure that these plants have a good start on the growing season is the perfect way to keep your garden filled with beauty. This perennial plant cleanup will help you keep your plants healthy and get them off to a strong growing season.