First photo: coreopsis
Second photo: agastache
Third photo: catmint
I'm very new to gardening. I planted these starts last spring and they did beautifully! The butterflies and hummingbirds and other pollinators loved them. I left the plants alone through fall and winter to allow for insects to rest in and among them. Now, spring is coming, and I'm wondering if it's time to cut them back. I'm also wondering HOW to cut them back. I see new growth in each of them. I'm very afraid to accidentally cut too far or too much. Any advice would be so helpful. Thank you!
by Ok-Idea6098
4 Comments
Cut off the dead, brown parts, leave the new green growth.
what would you hope to accomplish by cutting? it will not serve the health of the plant, which will grow just fine.
if you really can’t leave it alone leave high stems as much as possible.
note catmint isn’t native in NC
good luck!
With a cutting instrument.
You don’t need to cut anything here back technically. If you prefer to remove some of the thatch after awhile, wait until it’s brittle enough to just snap off. It’s less work and this is how the plants handle it in the wild.
I tend to snap up a portion of it and leave it on the ground for insects and to use as mulch. Any excess over a number of years can be burnt, but remember to leave some old stems on the ground throughout the season so that insects can nest in that thatch / duff.