Keeping perennials healthy

Ruth sorts out her border mainstays before the winter

- Ruth Hayes

NOW the weather is damp but still reasonably warm and the soil is holding on to moisture, it’s time to plant those final perennials, and cut back existing ones.

Removing spent stems and leaves isn’t just for keeping plants neat. It opens up borders where they have flopped onto the soil and other plants, and removes weak and rotting material that can offer a way in for diseases and pests.

However, don’t be too quick to cut everything back. Many perennial flower heads provide seeds for birds and also have a structural beauty, adding interest in winter when caught by frosts and a glance of low sunlight.

This week I have also been planting a few perennials bought on a whim earlier in autumn when the ground was too hard and dry for successful planting.