Should Coneflowers Be Cut Down in the Fall?

If you like to have a tidy garden through the winter, then you can cut back your coneflowers after they go dormant in the late fall or early winter. Cutting back the dormant stalks and seed heads in the fall will also decrease the chance of the plant naturalizing, or spreading.

How do you winterize coneflowers?

Cut the coneflowers down once spring arrives, but before the plants start to actively grow. Leave 2 to 4 inches of the stalks remaining. Mulch the stems to use as compost later. Or, if you want to tidy up the garden, cut the coneflowers back in the fall.

Should I cut back coneflowers for winter?

Pruning coneflowers can help them produce more flowers and keep them at a more manageable height. ... Cut down the coneflowers to soil level after they stop blooming and wither or after a frost. Alternatively, you can leave the seed heads as they are over the winter. This can help promote self-seeding.