Although most garden plants wither by the end of autumn, it is not necessarily advisable to cut back all dried and withered plant parts. It is worth leaving the majority of perennials and grasses for the winter, even if they have turned brown, withered or died.
In winter, dry shoots and withered flowers can be graceful and showy in the garden, think of sunflowers, for example. Many animals can feast on the seeds; they are an important food source for many species of birds.
In addition, the dead plant parts also cover the ground, have a heat insulating function, protecting the vegetative parts close to the ground. The hard cold in winter can thus do less damage to the plants. And the winter sun cannot warm the soil, so the plants do not sprout prematurely.
It is enough to get rid of the withered parts at the end of winter, just before spring sprouting. Some of them can be easily broken off by hand, while other plant parts require the use of pruning shears. Cut back the withered parts near the ground.
