Cut back in fall or spring?

Brooklyn Park, MN(Zone 4a)

Do you guys cut your D.Lilies down in the fall or spring.I would think spring because the dead leaves could act as a mulch to protect them in the winter.

Melvindale, MI(Zone 5a)

I cut in spring for exactly the reason you mentioned. Dead leaves can act as a mulch.

Hazel Crest, IL(Zone 5a)

Queenbeez in your zone that's best. I like getting rid of everything in the fall. Only the EV are left undisturbed. Like to spend some of the spring topdressing. Mike

Hamilton, OH(Zone 6a)

I clean up in spring it's a great way to insulate. I also mulch leaves and put them on my garden in winter.

Dead leaves hides insects so I cut in the fall all my plants. It is easier to trim when leaves are green, plus I have more time in the fall. I am too busy in the spring.

Sierra Foothills, CA(Zone 8a)

Heh, heh...the deer already cut them back!!

Melvindale, MI(Zone 5a)

A lot of the insects here go underground and the cold doesn't affect them much. I would imagine if the cold kills rust it also would kill most of the insects here. I don't know how spiders survive. We get tons of them. I also had tons of praying mantis this year but that's a good thing. I guess insects that have egg sacs would not be affected by the cold much because the sac protects the eggs.

Gainesville, FL(Zone 9a)

I cut back in the fall. Ive got scapes in March so cutting them in the spring would be a problem. I remember a grower up North who used to mow the s.capes in the fall

Hazel Crest, IL(Zone 5a)

gardenglory, mowing them down would be a lot easier for most of the big hybridizers and collectors if the garden is design for mower access. Most of us can get away with hand pulling everthing after the frost kills the foliage. I save my mulch bags to collect the dead foliage and take it to our local compost site before they close for the season. It beats buying those paper bags.I try to leave the evergreens alone until spring. Queenbeez, I saw on the news this morning that the temp in Minneapolis at 4:30am was at 69°f. That is summer for you! LOL!!

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