Okay, here goes again. The quote from “Adversity” was by Juliet Jaffray Hubbs & Nora Monaco, ISBN 0-9631714-1-0, now out of print as far as I can find out.

I put the verse to memory because it so reminded me of my great grandmother, the no-nonsence lady who raised me. When I became totally depressed as a teenager, she hugged me and said “There is no perfect life. You play the hand you have been dealt, step carefully over traps set to snare you, and take advantage of any life-affirming opportunities that may come you way. And remember–opportunity may knock, but you still have to get up the courage to open that door.”

A life lesson that I have held to!

Every garden is a microclimate. Here’s some of my thoughts on late fall’s chores; mulching, pruning/cutting back of perennials and shrubs in areas that receive heavy snowfall.

I cut back all perennials that die back to ground level. Flowering shrubs such as potentilla and Rugosa are pruned back by a third. Years when I haven’t gotten to this chore, they would be so damaged by spring that drastic pruning would be necessary. They have always rebounded beautifully from this, however.

I don’t cut back asparagus ferns because our fall season is not long enough that the ferns have time to brown naturally. I do, however, cut out the female fronds with the red berries attached so they won’t seed new plants on top of my deeply set original planting, and thus eventually suffocat the original plants. An asparagus planting will give phenomenal yields for at least 20 years if well maintained.

I leave the highbush blueberries to fend for themselves during winter and prune out broken or dead branches that show no sign of life in spring.

For protection of more fragile plantings such as strawberries, or a newly planted blub bed, I wait until the ground has frozen about a half-inch or so, then cover the planting with snow catchers (spruce and fir boughs). This keeps the ground from thawing and re-freezing which often heaves the plants out of the ground, damaging them or killing them outright. It works even better if an inch or so of snow has fallen before you lay the boughs over the planting.

When my lilac trees need maintenance, I prune out inward facing new branches, dead and very old branches, but this has to be done right after the current years bloom has ended, not in autumn, as next spring’s blooms form in summer. Here’s a tip worth noting. To maximize the following year’s bloom, cut off all the current year’s faded flowers before they make seed. This allows the plant to put all its energy into forming new buds instead of seedheads.

Hi Craig,
In Illinois I had a front garden that faced NW, and learned to cut most things to 8-12 inches. That garden was windswept, so left too tall meant the plants could get ripped out or crack; cut too short and the leaves, mulch or snow cover would just blow away.

In TX a lot of the plants like Salvias and Cupheas seem to do better if you cut them back in early spring.

Annie

Craig, I would never, ever, roll my eyes at someone wanting or needing to get a bit more done in their garden. I don’t have plants to get in the ground but the weeding is a big thing needing to get done–but probably won’t. Right now I am nursing sore back muscles and the ligaments in my left elbow are sore as well. Pulling weeds and using the pruners are the last thing I should be doing, and every time I decide I can do “just a little bit” it’s out with the ice packs again.

I am with you on the reasons not to cut back, except I have decided the phlox etc. right out the kitchen door looks progressively more depressing with every snowfall, and it’s best to cut it now. Also I cut back any border showing signs of vole tunneling. No sense making it any easier for them. So we are expecting mild weather tomorrow, too, and I am hoping to get some kids out there to have my fun for me, except they won’t think it’s fun when they do it.

I can feel Kathy rolling her eyes when I say I have a few more perennials to plant. There’s still mulching and weeding to attend to and this week’s weather will make it possible. It’s raining today but may reach to the high 50s or low 60s tomorrow and Friday. I don’t know if anyone’s calling it an Indian summer but I like the unexpected break.

Except for perennials such as Hostas and their slimy mess, Hemerocallis, and a few grasses, I wait until spring to cut back my plants. I leave them alone in the fall because: 1) I want them to reseed 2) Planting and cutting wood have a higher priority 3) They give me something to look at during long winters 4) There is plenty of time in the spring, about a month, between snow melt and turning the soil when I can’t do much of anything else and still want to be outside working.

I’m glad you talked about Larix. I inherited 3 big ones and feel lucky they are here, quickly becoming one of my favorite trees. I think they’re special and like to look for them when I’m out driving. You should add Metasequoia (Dawn Redwood) and Taxodium (Bald Cypress) to the list of deciduous coniferous trees although neither is as hardy as Larix.

I agree with Zoey and like the full landscape pictures too. It gives me a better sense of place, scale, and the environment you’re growing in. It also gives me a basis for comparison. My valley is narrower but the bottom is flatter and the hills are steeper. You have beautiful views to enjoy. Thanks for sharing them.

The snow, of course, melted the same day. Today it was in the fifties and I did a little more tidying up. But from now on we can’t count on anymore “good” weather. Every nice day is a bonus.