When to Begin Spring Clean Up of Perennials
I left all my perennials standing for the winter. How soon should I cut them down?
Don't rush spring. The perennials not only provide winter interest but also winter housing for many beneficial insects, and help capture the snow for winter insulation. Start cutting back your perennials when the snow recedes and temperatures start to warm and hover at or above freezing. This is a great chore for those relatively warm sunny days when you are anxious to get outside and garden. Prune carefully if plants have begun to grow. And put them to work one more time by composting the debris.
Related
Upcoming
Events & Webinars
May 9, 2026
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
May 10, 2026
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
May 13, 2026
Roots & Branches
West Bend, WI
Register here
May 16-17 2026
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
May 20, 2026
Herb Container Workshop
Pewaukee, WI
Register here
May 21, 2026
FREE WEBINAR:
Planting & Care of Your Rain Garden
Register here
June 3, 2026
FREE WEBINAR:
Managing Your Landscape
with Pollinators in Mind
Register here
June 10, 2026
Enjoy Life Active Aging Symposium
Brookfield, WI
More information
July 9, 2026
Ebert's 50th Anniversary Celebration
Ixonia, WI
July 11-12, 2026
Festa Italiana
Milwaukee, WI
August 6-16, 2026
Wisconsin State Fair
We Energies Energy Park, West Allis, WI
Sept. 3, 2026
FREE WEBINAR:
Tree Planting and Care
Register here
Sept. 12, 2026
Knowledge in Bloom Conference
Milwaukee, WI
Event Information
Sept. 17, 2026
FREE WEBINAR:
Fall Landscape Care and Planting
Register here
WATCH ON-DEMAND WEBINARS
MORE UPCOMING EVENT DETAILS
Book an Appearance
Sign up for Melinda's free newsletter for a chance to win 3 bags of Wild Valley Farms wool pellets, a water-holding soil amendment
ENTER NOW
