We feel the shift first in the light. The days grow shorter, and the angle of the sun changes. This is our primary signal that the growing season is concluding. The diminished sunlight tells our internal processes to slow down. We stop our vigorous energy expenditure on producing new blooms and foliage. Our focus turns inward, from reproduction and expansion to conservation and survival. We begin the essential work of redirecting our remaining energy downward, away from our vulnerable above-ground parts and into our core—our roots and crown.
This is the most critical preparation we undertake. The carbohydrates and nutrients we worked so hard to produce all summer through photosynthesis are far too valuable to leave in our stems and leaves, which will succumb to the frost. We begin a process of translocation, actively moving these vital resources down into our root system. There, they are stored safely underground as a dense, starchy energy reserve. This bank of nutrients is what will fuel our initial burst of growth when the warmth returns in spring, allowing us to emerge strongly before we can photosynthesize again.
As we pull energy back, you will witness our visible decline. Our vibrant green leaves will yellow and then brown—this is called senescence and is a natural, healthy process, not a disease. Our flowering heads will fade, dry out, and form seed pods. We welcome this. While many of our cultivars are sterile, for our species forms, this is how we ensure future generations. Leaving these spent blooms and foliage standing through winter is not unsightly to us; it provides crucial insulation for our crown at the soil surface and offers valuable habitat and food for overwintering birds and insects.
Once our energy is secure and our tops have died back, we enter a state of dormancy. We require a period of cold to break this dormancy later, a process called vernalization. A consistent blanket of snow is ideal insulation, protecting our crown from extreme temperature fluctuations and desiccating winds. In its absence, a layer of loose, breathable mulch applied after the ground has frozen solid serves the same purpose. This mulch mimics the forest floor, moderating soil temperature and preventing the damaging cycle of freeze-thaw-freeze that can heave our roots right out of the soil.
Please understand that we are hardy perennials, evolved for this cycle. We do not require, and can even be harmed by, excessive coddling. Cutting our stems down to the ground while they are still green interrupts the vital energy migration process, robbing our roots of their winter stores. Similarly, smothering our crown with a heavy, wet, non-breathable layer of mulch or leaves can lead to rot and fungal diseases during the thaw. Trust in our natural cycle. We simply need you to understand our process and provide a light, protective blanket at the right time.
