GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Fall pruning and clean up is big on the to do list this time of year. But don’t get carried away. Here are some garden plants that you should NEVER prune in fall:
- Magnolias
- Rhododendrons
- Climbing hydrangea
- Lilacs
- Forsythia
- Viburnum
- Spring blooming clematis
Snipping these back now will eliminate the plants ability to bloom for you next year. As a general rule, trim these just after they bloom in the spring or early summer.
Here is a list of plants that absolutely SHOULD be pruned and cut back in the fall:
- Bearded Iris
- Bee balm
- Blanket flower
- Columbine
- Daylilies
- Late-blooming clematis
- Hollyhocks
- Anemones
- Penstemon
- Peonies
- Phlox
- Salvia
- Brunnera
- Speedwell
- Baptisia
- Yarrow
Along with this list, always prune or cut back any plants that showed sign of disease during the growing season like powdery mildew or blight for example. Healthy clippings can be added to the compost pile but any diseased foliage should head for the trash.
Happy yard cleanup!
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