Off With Her Head!

Your irrigation heads should be on their way to dormancy and your perennials should be getting cut back. Most irrigation systems by this time are either blown out and winterized or on the schedule to be done. Proper maintenance of your irrigation system ensures that next spring is a smooth transition. Delaying this step can result in cracked lines if water freezes in the lines, and damaged heads.

As for your perennials, unless you like the look of the petrified remains leaves, and stems (which some do!) now is the time to cut your perennials back nearly to the ground. You can leave a few inches above the mulch for identification/location purposes. Most perennials come back from their roots and do not require the prior year’s growth to revive. Fall is a great time to divide those perennials that seem to have taken on a presence of their own. In most cases, a sharp shovel and some well-placed shoves will cut your perennial so it can be transplanted or given away.

Some plants that you can hold off on cutting back due to their winter appeal are:

• Grasses
• Liriope
• Heuchera
• Sedum

So get out your shears and pruners and lop away!