As the growing season comes to an end in Southeast Michigan, homeowners often wonder which plants should be cut back during fall cleanup and which should remain standing throughout winter.
At Transitions Outdoor Services, fall landscape maintenance typically includes removing dead perennial foliage, cutting back ornamental grasses, and selectively pruning hydrangeas. While some homeowners prefer to leave certain plants standing for winter interest, many common perennials can be safely cut back in the fall once their growing season has ended.
The key is understanding that not all plants should be treated the same way, especially when it comes to hydrangeas.
For homeowners in Plymouth, Northville, Novi, and surrounding Southeast Michigan communities, here's what you should know about preparing your landscape beds for winter.
Why Cut Back Perennials in the Fall?
Fall perennial cutbacks are an important part of maintaining clean, attractive landscape beds.
Once plants have finished their growing season and their foliage begins to die back, removing spent growth offers several benefits:
- Creates a cleaner, more maintained appearance heading into winter.
- Removes dead or deteriorating plant material from landscape beds.
- Helps reduce overwintering debris that can harbor certain pests and diseases.
- Makes spring landscape maintenance easier.
- Allows for a fresh appearance as new growth emerges the following spring.
Although some perennial stems and seed heads provide winter habitat for beneficial insects and food for birds, homeowners can choose a more manicured fall appearance without harming most established herbaceous perennials, provided the plants are cut back at the appropriate time.
Which Perennials Should Be Cut Back in the Fall?
Most common herbaceous perennials can be cut back after their foliage has naturally declined, typically following cooler temperatures or a hard frost.
Hostas
Hostas are among the most common perennials we cut back during fall cleanup.
After the first hard frosts, hosta foliage typically turns yellow, collapses, and begins to deteriorate. Removing this foliage helps prevent soggy plant material from accumulating in landscape beds.
Hostas can generally be cut back close to the ground once the foliage has died.
Daylilies
Daylilies are another perennial that benefits from routine fall cleanup.
Once the foliage begins turning yellow or brown, the spent leaves and flower stalks can be removed. This provides a cleaner appearance and eliminates dead growth before winter.
Peonies
Herbaceous peonies should generally be cut back after their foliage has died back in the fall.
Removing spent foliage is particularly beneficial when plants have experienced fungal problems during the growing season.
Unlike herbaceous peonies, tree peonies have permanent woody stems and should not be cut to the ground.
Other Common Perennials
Many additional perennials can be cut back during fall cleanup, including:
- Catmint
- Salvia
- Black-eyed Susans
- Coneflowers
- Garden phlox
- Bee balm
- Certain types of iris
For plants such as coneflowers and black-eyed Susans, homeowners may alternatively choose to leave seed heads standing to provide food for birds throughout winter.
Our general recommendation: Once perennial foliage has naturally died back, fall is an appropriate time to remove most spent growth. However, certain evergreen, semi-evergreen, tender, or wildlife-supporting perennials may benefit from being left until spring.
Should Ornamental Grasses Be Cut Back in Fall or Spring?
This is one of the most common questions we receive during fall cleanup season.
At Transitions Outdoor Services, we typically cut back ornamental grasses in the fall for most clients. However, leaving them standing throughout winter is also an acceptable option.
Why We Commonly Cut Back Ornamental Grasses in Fall
Ornamental grasses such as maiden grass, fountain grass, switchgrass, and feather reed grass often grow several feet tall during the season.
As winter approaches, their foliage dries and turns brown.
Cutting them back in the fall provides several practical benefits:
- Creates a neat, maintained appearance.
- Prevents dried foliage from blowing throughout the property.
- Reduces the amount of collapsed grass that may need cleanup after heavy snow.
- Simplifies spring landscape maintenance.
- Allows new spring growth to emerge without competing with a large amount of old foliage.
For most established deciduous ornamental grasses, we typically cut back the spent foliage to approximately 6–12 inches above the ground, depending on the variety and plant condition.
Why Some Homeowners Leave Ornamental Grasses Standing
Some clients prefer to leave ornamental grasses untouched until spring because of their attractive winter appearance.
This is commonly called winter interest.
The dried foliage and seed heads can provide texture, movement, and height in an otherwise dormant landscape. Frost and snow can also create an attractive appearance on standing grasses.
Leaving grasses standing can provide habitat for birds and beneficial insects.
Neither approach is universally right or wrong.
Our recommendation: If you prefer a clean, manicured landscape heading into winter, fall cutbacks are a good option. If you enjoy the appearance of ornamental grasses throughout winter, they can generally remain standing until early spring, when they should be cut back before new growth emerges.
Hydrangeas: Which Types Should Be Cut Back in Fall?
Hydrangeas require more attention than most common perennials because different varieties bloom on different types of growth.
Some hydrangeas bloom on new wood, meaning flowers develop on growth produced during the current season. Others bloom on old wood, meaning their flower buds develop on stems from the previous growing season.
Understanding this difference is essential.
Improper pruning can result in fewer flowers—or no flowers at all—the following year.
Annabelle and Incrediball Hydrangeas — Smooth Hydrangeas
Examples: Annabelle, Incrediball, Invincibelle varieties
Smooth hydrangeas bloom on new wood, making them among the most forgiving hydrangeas when it comes to pruning.
These plants can be cut back substantially during late fall after dormancy or in early spring.
For established plants, stems may be reduced to approximately 6–12 inches above the ground, depending on the desired size and structure.
Some gardeners prefer to leave taller stems to help support the following season's growth.
Our recommendation: Smooth hydrangeas are good candidates for fall cutbacks when clients prefer a tidy landscape. Cutting them back will not normally eliminate next year's flowers because they bloom on new growth.
Limelight and Little Lime Hydrangeas — Panicle Hydrangeas
Examples: Limelight, Little Lime, Quick Fire, Bobo, Pinky Winky
Panicle hydrangeas also bloom on new wood, but their pruning requirements differ from smooth hydrangeas.
Unlike Annabelle hydrangeas, panicle hydrangeas develop a permanent woody branching structure.
They should not be routinely cut to within 6–12 inches of the ground.
Instead, spent flowers can be removed in fall, and selective pruning can be performed to maintain the desired shape and size.
More substantial structural pruning is generally best performed in late winter or early spring, before new growth begins.
Our recommendation: During fall cleanup, we typically focus on deadheading and selective trimming of panicle hydrangeas while preserving their established woody framework.
Endless Summer and Bigleaf Hydrangeas
Examples: Endless Summer, Nikko Blue, BloomStruck and other bigleaf varieties
Bigleaf hydrangeas require additional caution.
Many varieties bloom primarily on old wood, while some reblooming varieties can produce flowers on both old and new growth.
Their flower buds may already be present on the stems heading into winter.
Heavy fall pruning can remove those buds and significantly reduce flowering the following year.
Our recommendation: Avoid substantial fall pruning of bigleaf hydrangeas. If desired, remove spent flower heads carefully without cutting deeply into healthy stems. Major decisions about winter-damaged stems should generally wait until spring, once live growth becomes visible.
Oakleaf Hydrangeas
Oakleaf hydrangeas are another variety that should not receive heavy fall pruning.
These shrubs bloom on old wood and develop flower buds before winter.
Removing significant portions of their stems during fall cleanup can eliminate the following season's flowers.
Oakleaf hydrangeas also offer attractive fall foliage, interesting bark, and dried flower heads that provide winter interest.
Our recommendation: Leave the woody structure intact during fall cleanup. Deadheading is optional, and any necessary shaping is generally best performed shortly after flowering rather than in fall.
Quick Guide: Hydrangea Fall Pruning
| Hydrangea Type | Recommended Fall Approach |
|---|---|
| Annabelle / Incrediball (Smooth) | Can be cut back substantially, often to 6–12 inches |
| Limelight / Little Lime (Panicle) | Deadhead or lightly trim; preserve woody structure |
| Endless Summer / Bigleaf | Avoid heavy pruning; cautious deadheading only |
| Oakleaf | Avoid heavy pruning; leave structure intact |
Important: The appropriate pruning method depends on the hydrangea variety, its age, condition, and desired appearance. Not every hydrangea should be cut back to the same height.
What About Leaving Plants for Winter Interest?
Not every homeowner wants their landscape beds completely cut back in the fall.
Some plants offer attractive winter features, including dried flower heads, seed pods, interesting stems, and ornamental foliage.
Popular plants for winter interest include ornamental grasses, coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, upright sedum, and certain hydrangeas.
These plants can provide visual interest during Michigan's colder months and may also support local wildlife.
At Transitions Outdoor Services, we recognize that landscape preferences vary.
Some clients prefer their beds thoroughly cleaned and trimmed before winter, while others prefer to leave selected plants standing until spring.
Both approaches can be incorporated into an appropriate seasonal landscape maintenance plan.
What Is Included in a Professional Fall Cleanup?
A professional fall cleanup involves much more than simply removing leaves from the lawn.
At Transitions Outdoor Services, our fall cleanup services are designed to prepare residential and commercial landscapes for the winter season.
Depending on the approved proposal, services may include:
- Removal of fallen leaves, sticks, incidental litter, and landscape debris.
- Removal of leaves and sticks from flower beds and landscape beds.
- Removal of spent spring annual plantings.
- Cutting back dead perennial foliage, including hostas and daylilies.
- Cutting back ornamental grasses where requested.
- Appropriate hydrangea cutbacks or deadheading based on variety.
Perennial and shrub cutbacks are performed according to the approved scope of work. Clients should identify any additional plants requiring pruning or any plants they would prefer to leave standing before their proposal is finalized.
Our goal is to provide a clean, professional appearance while using appropriate maintenance practices for each type of plant.
Learn more about our landscape bed care services.
Preparing Your Landscape for Winter in Southeast Michigan
A well-maintained landscape doesn't necessarily mean cutting every plant to the ground.
It means understanding which plants benefit from fall maintenance, which should be selectively pruned, and which may be better left until spring.
For most of our clients, fall cleanup includes removing dead perennial growth and cutting back ornamental grasses to create a clean appearance heading into winter.
Hydrangeas require a more selective approach, with pruning decisions based on the specific variety and whether it blooms on old or new wood.
At Transitions Outdoor Services, we provide professional fall cleanup and landscape maintenance services throughout Plymouth, Northville, Novi, and surrounding Southeast Michigan communities.
Whether you prefer a thoroughly maintained fall landscape or want to preserve certain plants for winter interest, our team can help prepare your property for the season ahead.