Is it too late to prune grasses and perennials in March?

I was never able to cut my grasses and perennials in the fall. Is it too late or can I still do it?

Answer

It’s not too late at all; In fact, now is the best time to do it.

Leaving grasses and perennials uncut during the winter is not a mistake; It is a good gardening practice.

The seeds provide food for finches and other birds during the cold months, and the hollow stems of dead growths provide shelter for beneficial insects such as ladybugs and overwintering solitary bees.

You have effectively been managing a wildlife habitat without knowing it.

Now, as new growth begins to emerge from the base, is exactly the right time to trim.

Get in before the new growth gets too big or you risk damaging it.

Cut herbaceous grasses and perennials down to about four inches, remove the old material, and you’re ready for the season.

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