| Perennials will tell you what they want through their leaves. As they prepare for winter, you could say that they transfer their above-ground energy to their roots. You can leave your perennials as-is if they have green leaves. When the leaves turn brown, trim them down. Some very hardy perennials might remain green at the base of the plant over the winter. Don't worry! You can trim them down in early spring to encourage new and neat growth. Shrubs Before you pick up those pruning shears, you will need to know if your shrub has already set blooms for next spring. If so, pruning in fall will remove blooms. If the shrub blooms in early spring, it should be pruned after it blooms and before it has set new blooms for the following spring. Shrubs that bloom later in the season can be pruned in the fall.
Compost By all means, compost all those leaves you rake. But do not compost any diseased plant cuttings or any plants with the name poison in them (poison sumac, poison oak, etc). Running your lawnmower over tough oak leaves will shred them and help them compost faster.
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