To chop or not to chop? It’s a question many gardeners struggle with at this time of year. Graham Rice offers pruning pointers to get you cutting with confidence
AS autumn advances, we have an irresistible urge to tidy up. We cut back perennials, we rake up leaves, we chop back shrubs and we pile the compost heap high. But is this always a good idea?
Exhausted and frosted annuals can certainly go on the compost – there’s no sense leaving their bedraggled foliage to detract from the chrysanthemums, perennial anemones and autumn bulbs at their peak. But what about perennials? Should you get handy with the secateurs? Or leave them alone until spring?
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