Looking for simple fall tasks that will pay off next spring and summer? Enjoy this cooler weather! Divide many perennials like daylilies, irises, monkey grass & ajuga while the weather is still warm enough to encourage root growth.

As these plants ‘shut down’ for the winter, roots still grow, but they’re less demanding for water and fertilizer.

And what about the tropical rhizomes, such as elephant ears, canna lilies and white ginger lilies? If new or if they’ve been dug up, I would let them dry real well and store them in a cool place. Storing them in a dry, brown paper bag or in a container of newspaper or perlite is great.

Regardless if the bulb is loose or still in the ground, once the leaves are almost brown, you can go ahead and cut them off. The longer a bulb has that foliage attached, it is obtaining energy from the sun and transporting it to the bulb. Plan to plant them sometime after the last frost.

However, elephant ears, canna lilies, and white ginger lilies established in my yard have been fine in the ground through the last few winters. I just make sure to rake leaves or pine straw over them to insulate them each winter. Some kind of mulch is always a good idea to protect perennials that stay in the ground year-round!

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