Spring is just around the corner but the cold days of winter are still present here in Tennessee. Sometimes we have really nice, beautiful, spring-like days in February and it’s so tempting to get in the garden and get a lot of work done. One task I believe that gardeners should wait on is cutting back perennials and ornamental grasses for spring. When should you cut back your perennials? I recommend waiting for the days closer to your last frost date.
Frost Date in Tennessee
The last frost date is simply the last date you normally could see a frost in the Spring. We live in Zone 7 Tennessee and our usual last frost date is around April 15th. I should say “our Average frost date” as sometimes the last frost occurs before or after that day. Gardeners should always pay attention to the long range forecast in regard to the frost date then err on the side of caution.
Why Do I Wait for the Frost Date?
There are several reasons I find it’s best to wait until that date, or at least close to that date.
Protect from Frost and Cold Damage Longer
Perennials that begin flushing out new grow before then will end up getting frost damage if they are exposed. The additional layers of dead growth from the previous season act as frost protection for the plant. The plant stay protected longer with the covering over it.
Protect the Nesting Pollinators
Also it can be very helpful for pollinators that may have nested within the dead leaves of last year’s perennials. Pruning them out before the are ready could diminish their presence in your garden.
Pruning Ornamental Grasses
I tend to wait until I see about 6 inches of new growth appear on ornamental grasses before cutting them back. This protects them from the frost somewhat but also allows you to enjoy the winter look a little longer. You can use the cut grass in the compost bin or as a mulch on top of vegetable garden beds. It can help to cut it into smaller pieces before you use it as a mulch.
For more of my thoughts on Pruning back your perennials check out this video here:
Advantages and Disadvantages of Growing a Vegetable Garden in Pots
Due to a lot of reasons I’ve chosen to pot up the vegetable garden this year. The top reason is we will need to move in the middle of the gardening season and I don’t want to leave behind those tasty tomatoes and peppers! Because…
2010 Seed Selections
Last week I received the seeds I orders from two different companies. I was very impressed with the delivery time from both Wildseed Farms and Baker’s Creek Heirloom Seeds. I made my order from Baker’s Creek last Monday and received all the seeds I ordered…
5 Ways to Naturally Eliminate Weeds!
The complete and total elimination of garden weeds is every gardener’s dream! And to do so organically or naturally just makes it all the more thrilling! While I’ll share with you some methods for eliminating weeds naturally for The Friday Fives, please keep in mind…
Fall Colors
Fall in Tennessee is known for its wonderful color displays. We have a variety of trees both of deciduous and evergreen trees that usually make spectacular displays of colors. Unfortunately these trees have suffered with the drought this past year and have not fully shown…
Do You Have The Right Stuff to Propagate Plants?
Plant propagation sounds like something very complicated. A lot of gardeners are intimidated by the idea of getting something to root. It looks challenging but in reality there are a great number of plants that are very easy to propagate. That’s not to say that…
How to Repot and Transplant Tomato and Pepper Plants (Upsizing)
If you start seeds yourself rather than purchase plants one important step in the process is transplanting. Repotting and transplanting tomatoes and peppers allows them to grow larger root systems so that when you do plant them in the garden they are more established (upsizing)….
Discover more from Growing The Home Garden
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.