Fall flower care is a mix of planting and putting to bed. The flowers you plant now — tulips, daffodils, crocus and other spring bulbs — will be the first colour of next year, while the flowers that are finishing now need cutting back, dividing or protecting so they survive winter and come back strongly. It is also the season to lift tender bulbs and tubers that would not survive frost, to take cuttings of tender perennials, and to leave some seed heads standing for winter interest and for the birds. A flower garden put to bed properly in fall is a flower garden that starts spring ahead.
The timing of fall flower work follows the frost. In cold zones, tender flowers must be lifted or protected early, and perennials are cut back once frost has finished them. In mild zones, flowers keep going longer, and fall is a planting season for cool-season flowers as well as bulbs. Whatever your zone, the rule is to work with the season rather than against it: plant what belongs in fall, protect what is tender, and leave what is useful standing. If you are unsure about a flower in your area, check your local extension service.
Planting spring bulbs in fall
Spring bulbs are the main fall flower planting, and they are planted when the soil has cooled, generally a few weeks before the ground freezes. Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocus and alliums are all planted in fall, at a depth roughly three times the height of the bulb, pointed end up, in groups or drifts rather than single rows. Our guides to growing tulips and growing daffodils cover depth, spacing and soil in detail, and our fall planting guide covers bulb planting as part of the wider fall planting routine.
Choose firm, plump bulbs with no soft spots or mould, and buy them from a reputable supplier. Plant in well-drained soil, since bulbs rot in wet soil, and add grit to heavy soil to improve drainage. Mix early, mid and late varieties so flowering lasts for weeks, and mark where you planted them so you do not dig them up by accident in spring. Daffodils are a good choice where animals are a problem, since they are rarely eaten, while tulips may need protection from squirrels and mice. Water after planting, mulch lightly, and leave them alone until spring.
Cutting back and dividing perennials
Perennials that have finished flowering and collapsed after frost can be cut back to ground level in fall, which removes hiding places for slugs and snails and clears diseased foliage. Our slugs and snails control guide explains why that matters, and our fall pruning guide covers the cutting-back method. Hostas, peonies, daylilies and many soft-stemmed perennials are cut back in fall, while ornamental grasses, sedums and plants with attractive seed heads are better left standing until spring, for winter structure and for wildlife that shelters in them and eats their seeds.
Fall is also a good time to lift and divide overcrowded perennials, since they have finished flowering and have weeks to root before winter. Dig up the clump, divide it into healthy pieces with roots and shoots, replant the best pieces, and compost the woody centre. Water well and mulch after dividing. Our fall transplanting guide covers the lifting and replanting method. Do not divide perennials that flower in fall or that are tender, and do not divide plants that are already stressed by drought or disease.
Roses in fall
Roses need light fall care, not heavy work. Shorten very long stems that would whip about in winter wind and rock the plant loose, remove dead, diseased and crossing wood, and clear fallen leaves from around the base, since rose leaves can carry disease over winter. Our black spot roses guide explains why leaf clearance matters. Do not prune roses hard in fall — save the main prune for spring — and do not feed them in fall, since feeding pushes soft growth that frost damages. See growing roses for the rose calendar through the year.
After the first frosts, mound compost or mulch around the base of roses to protect the graft, which is the most vulnerable part of the plant, and tie in climbing roses so wind does not damage them. In cold zones, some gardeners wrap the base of tender roses in hessian or straw for extra protection. Check ties and supports before winter storms, since a rose that comes loose in a storm is hard to save. Our fall mulching guide and mulch types guides cover mulching roses, and our fall frost protection guide covers protecting tender plants.
Tender flowers: lifting, cuttings and protection
Tender flowers that would not survive frost must be dealt with before the first hard frost. Dahlias, cannas, gladioli and other tender bulbs and tubers are lifted after frost has blackened their foliage, dried, and stored in a cool, frost-free place over winter — see our growing dahlias guide for dahlia care. Geraniums and other tender perennials can be lifted and potted up to overwinter indoors, or cuttings can be taken in fall and rooted indoors, giving new plants for spring. Fuchsias and other half-hardy plants can be cut back and stored in a frost-free shed or greenhouse.
Annuals that have finished, such as petunias, zinnias and cosmos, can be pulled up and composted once frost has finished them, though some will self-seed if you leave a few to set seed. Our guides to growing petunias, growing zinnias and growing cosmos cover those flowers. Hardy annuals such as sweet peas, poppies and cornflowers can be sown in fall in many zones for earlier flowers next year — see our fall seed starting guide. In mild zones, fall is also the season for planting cool-season flowers such as pansies and violas, which flower through fall and winter where frosts are light.
Leaving flowers for winter interest and wildlife
Not every flower should be cut back in fall. Seed heads of plants such as echinacea, rudbeckia, teasel and ornamental grasses look beautiful in frost, provide food for birds, and shelter beneficial insects over winter. Leave them standing until spring, when they can be cut back before new growth starts. Evergreen perennials and shrubs give structure through winter, and winter-flowering plants such as hellebores, winter jasmine and witch hazel provide colour when little else is flowering. A flower garden with winter structure is a garden that looks cared for all year, not just in summer.
Leave a few undisturbed corners for wildlife, since a garden with no shelter at all loses the predators that control pests next year. But keep those corners away from beds that suffered disease, and clear diseased foliage rather than leaving it. Mulch flower beds in fall after cutting back, keeping mulch clear of crowns, to protect roots and suppress weeds — see our fall mulching guide. Water if the weather is dry, since newly planted bulbs and divided perennials need moisture to root before winter, and see our fall watering guide for how much.
Common fall flower mistakes
The most common mistake is planting bulbs too early while the soil is still warm, so they sprout in fall and are damaged by frost. The second is cutting back everything in fall, removing winter structure and wildlife shelter for no benefit. The third is leaving tender bulbs and tubers out for a hard frost and losing them. The fourth is pruning roses hard in fall, which weakens them for winter. The fifth is feeding flowers in fall, which pushes soft growth that frost kills. The sixth is planting bulbs in wet soil, where they rot. And the seventh is forgetting to mark where bulbs were planted, so they are dug up by accident in spring. Plant at the right time, protect what is tender, leave some structure standing, and do not feed.
Frequently asked questions
When should I plant spring bulbs?
When the soil has cooled, generally a few weeks before the ground freezes. In cold zones that is often early to mid fall, and in warm zones it is later. Plant at a depth about three times the height of the bulb.
Should I cut back all perennials in fall?
No. Cut back perennials that have collapsed after frost, such as hostas, but leave ornamental grasses and plants with attractive seed heads standing until spring for structure and wildlife.
How do I protect roses in winter?
Lightly prune long stems, clear fallen leaves, and mound compost or mulch around the base after the first frosts. Save the hard prune for spring and do not feed roses in fall.
What do I do with dahlias in fall?
Lift them after frost has blackened the foliage, dry them, and store them in a cool, frost-free place over winter. See our growing dahlias guide.
Can I sow flowers in fall?
Yes, hardy annuals such as sweet peas, poppies and cornflowers can be sown in fall in many zones for earlier flowers next year. See our fall seed starting guide. If you are unsure, check your local extension service.