Cutting Back Perennials in Fall

When do you cut back your perennials for winter?
When they are ugly, brown, and not beneficial to you or wildlife.
Marie Kondo it! "Does it bring you joy?"

When should you "leaf them be"?
When they're beneficial. Seed pods feed birds and other wild animals, plus they add texture to your landscape. Many perennials get great fall color. Some perennials show bronze, copper, and a variety of other colors that are gorgeous. 

What about ornamental grasses?
Most people like to leave their grasses until early spring. They provide some structure to an otherwise limited winter landscape. When ice forms on the grasses, that's lovely too. I usually cut mine back in March. 

You're not on a time crunch!
Cut it all of the way down to the ground! If you don't, in spring you will see beautiful new green shoots coming up surrounded by brown dried up stalks. You can cut the stalks off then, or do it now if you just want to see the green growth coming up.
If it's ugly and in the front of your house so everyone can see, usually that's when you would cut it down earlier, as soon as it starts to look ugly to you.

So in summary, basically you just need to remember Denni's famous line is, "If it offends thee, cut it off."  
I remember this every time I go to the hairdresser too.

Yours in Planting,
​Marietta