Spring Prep

Attribute	Value
Agastache ‘Bolero’	To improve winter-hardiness, and encourage re-seeding, leave the stems intact over the winter. In mid-spring, remove old stems just above the new foliage, about 4 or 5 inches above ground level.
Apache Sunset Hummingbird Mint	Remove new growth in early to mid spring for more flowering stems and a more compact plant.
Astilbe	The flowers can be cut whenever they start to look ragged, or left up for winter interest and cut back in the spring.
Autumn Joy Stonecrop	If you wish, you can cut back the stems in the late spring to limit their height and promote thicker, bushier growth. Some gardeners cut down the stems in the fall after the foliage begins to depreciate, but the stems can also be left to provide winter interest and cut down in the spring before new growth starts. Birds will feed on the dried flower heads over winter.
Blue Blazes Hummingbird Mint	To improve winter-hardiness, and encourage re-seeding, leave the stems intact over the winter. In mid-spring, remove old stems just above the new foliage, about 4 or 5 inches above ground level.
Blue Indigo	The only pruning required for this plant is to remove the dead stems at some point, either in the late fall or early winter, or in the spring before new growth begins. Because this plant takes on such a shrub-like appearance, you can also shape it by pruning, which is best done immediately after its flowering period is over.
Blue Jean Baby Russian Sage	Some gardeners choose to prune Russian sage annually. The argument for pruning is that the plant will grow to be bushier as a result of this care. At the very least, it's a good idea to cut off any dead branches to keep this perennial tidy. The normal time to prune Russian sage is early spring or mid-spring, depending on the strategy you adopt. One reason why spring is the best time to prune (as opposed to trimming in fall) is that leaving the silver branches adds interest to the winter landscape. Another is that if you trim in the fall and don't get a hard freeze, the plant could start producing new growth. If it does, a hard freeze could kill the new growth. There are two basic trimming strategies: One is to prune down to within a few inches of ground level in early spring and just be done with it. The other approach is to wait until mid-spring and allow the plant stems to start to fill in with leaves. You'll be able to identify the dead stems as the ones that aren't filling in, and you can proceed to cut them off. Then, make a judgment regarding the remaining branches. For example, if you want to start out with stems that are 1 foot tall, make your cut at 1 foot. The taller the plant starts out in spring, the taller it will end up in fall.
Carpet Phlox	Pruning is optional on these plants. After the blooming period is over, you can trim back the foliage to create a neater form. This also will promote denser foliage, enhancing the phlox's beauty as a ground cover. Alternatively, you can skip the pruning and let the plants grow naturally.
Catmint Walker's Low	Cut back just above ground-level in mid-spring after the first flush of blooms. Shear off faded flowers in June to re-bloom. Nepeta 'Walker's Low' thrives in harsh conditions. Mom - “I disagree with pruning. After first flush of bloom and it starts to look ratty, prune back by half and will get second bloom. I did this pruning and it was very successful. I will cut back in winter to couple of inches. In fact, since this is my first year, I will see what they do at Heritage since it is in the circle at the parking lot.”
Coral Bells	Coral bells are short-lived perennials, so you'll want to divide the plants every three to five years in the early spring or fall to keep them healthy. If the leaves get a bit ragged looking, especially after winter, cut them back and new growth should fill in quickly.
Cranberry Lace Bee Balm	Cut the bee balm down to a few inches in the fall to promote new growth in the spring.
Fireball Bee Balm	Cut the bee balm down to a few inches in the fall to promote new growth in the spring.
Fringed Loosestrife	Keep your plant looking trim and attractive by periodically pruning back new growth. The best time to do so is during the late winter.
Garden View Scarlet Bee Balm	Cut the bee balm down to a few inches in the fall to promote new growth in the spring.
Goldsturm Black Eyed Susan	Plants with seed heads should be left standing over the winter months. Cut back hard in early to mid-spring
Kudos Gold Agastache	Remove new growth in early to mid spring for more flowering stems and a more compact plant.
Little Lanterns Dwarf Columbine	Cut back to 1-2" inches above the soil in mid-spring when the plants begin to wake up.
Orange Daylily	Remove the plant debris in the early spring.
Pearl Glam Beautyberry	Prune, if desired, in early spring, and remove any dead wood at that point as well.
Rose of Sharon	Rose of Sharon blooms on new wood, so it should be pruned in the late winter or early spring to avoid cutting off any flower buds. Pruning back the stem tips will encourage more branching and thus more flowers. Remove any damaged or diseased branches as they arise.
Russian Sage	Some gardeners choose to prune Russian sage annually. The argument for pruning is that the plant will grow to be bushier as a result of this care. At the very least, it's a good idea to cut off any dead branches to keep this perennial tidy. The normal time to prune Russian sage is early spring or mid-spring, depending on the strategy you adopt. One reason why spring is the best time to prune (as opposed to trimming in fall) is that leaving the silver branches adds interest to the winter landscape. Another is that if you trim in the fall and don't get a hard freeze, the plant could start producing new growth. If it does, a hard freeze could kill the new growth. There are two basic trimming strategies: One is to prune down to within a few inches of ground level in early spring and just be done with it. The other approach is to wait until mid-spring and allow the plant stems to start to fill in with leaves. You'll be able to identify the dead stems as the ones that aren't filling in, and you can proceed to cut them off. Then, make a judgment regarding the remaining branches. For example, if you want to start out with stems that are 1 foot tall, make your cut at 1 foot. The taller the plant starts out in spring, the taller it will end up in fall.
Tango Hummingbird Mint	Remove new growth in early to mid spring for more flowering stems and a more compact plant.
Witch's Moneybags	If you wish, you can cut back the stems in the late spring to limit their height and promote thicker, bushier growth. Some gardeners cut down the stems in the fall after the foliage begins to depreciate, but the stems can also be left to provide winter interest and cut down in the spring before new growth starts. Birds will feed on the dried flower heads over winter.