Don’t Prune These 6 Plants in September—They Add Beauty and Shelter All Fall

1

Hydrangeas

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As the weather cools, the best thing to do with hydrangeas is leave them alone.

“Hydrangeas are one of the plants I would generally leave alone in September,” Sarah explains.

“The faded flower heads can look really beautiful as they dry, particularly when they catch the first frosts, but they can also offer some protection to the developing buds beneath. For mophead and lacecap hydrangeas, in particular, save your main pruning until spring, when you can better see which growth has survived the winter. Cutting them back too enthusiastically now can mean sacrificing flowers next year.”

2

Lavender

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“It can be tempting to give lavender a substantial prune once its summer display starts looking tired, but by September I would avoid cutting hard into old, woody growth,” Sarah says.

Tidying spent flowers is okay, but major pruning should be avoided this late in the season. “Fresh growth encouraged by a hard cut may not have enough time to toughen up before colder weather arrives,” Sarah explains.

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3

Ornamental grasses

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Ornamental grasses can be a secret weapon for winter gardens—and are definitely worth leaving standing through autumn and winter, Sarah explains.

She says: “Their seed heads and dried foliage bring movement, height and texture to the garden at a time when many other plants have disappeared, and they can look particularly striking covered in frost. They also provide shelter for wildlife. Rather than cutting them down in September, leave deciduous grasses standing through winter and cut back the old growth towards the end of winter or in early spring, just before fresh growth gets underway.”

4

Echinacea and Rudbeckia

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Both echinacea and rudbeckia are pretty flowers that are important tools for wildlife conservation in gardens.

“Their architectural seed heads continue to give borders structure long after the flowers have finished, while the seeds can provide a useful food source for birds,” explains Sarah. “You can leave them standing throughout autumn and winter and clear away the old stems in late winter or early spring. It’s an easy way to make the garden both more visually interesting and more wildlife-friendly.”

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5

Japanese Maples

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“Japanese maples are another plant I would leave well alone in September. They naturally have such a beautiful shape that heavy pruning is rarely necessary anyway, but if you do need to remove or reshape branches, it is better to wait until the plant is fully dormant, typically later in the year,” Sarah explains.

“September pruning can also mean missing out on one of their greatest features, as their foliage begins its spectacular transition into autumn color.”

6

Roses

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It’s best not to prune roses while the weather is still mild, Sarah explains, telling us: “You can continue deadheading repeat-flowering varieties while they are still producing blooms, and remove anything obviously dead, diseased, or damaged, but save the more substantial pruning for the appropriate dormant-season window, which for many roses will be later in winter.

“Pruning too heavily while conditions are still relatively mild can encourage tender new growth, which then has to contend with falling temperatures.”

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