DO NOTHING!!! You don't even need an entire book for that.

The amount of harm that has been done by 'fuss' is almost indescribable. After you have a better idea of what happens during winter, then you can get into what should be cut down in the fall, what shouldn't, and what doesn't care. Given that there isn't anything on that list that benefits from a fall cutback, this one is easy.

Violetta,

Welcome to zone 5 and all the wonders of winter!! I have to agree that doing nothing is better than fussing over and killing with what you might think is kindness.

At this time I am simply mulching some plants with high carbon ingredients such as leaf mold and shredded leaves in a couple of gardens, but even if I weren't doing this and it wasn't done, I wouldn't worry. Just doing it to curb my need to be out there and culling some plants at the same time.

I am in zone 3 and there is not much I do in the fall. I do cut the very tall plants down a bit but still leave a good foot or 2. One benefit of doing nothing is that the old plants sticking up catch the snow and it blankets the roots. A good snow cover does a great deal to protect plants.

Everything you mention can be cut back in fall and then ignored. I have immense gardens and begin cutting back long before frost when bloom is finished and plants start to look rough. I still have plenty to do after frost. And plenty to do in spring as well since I grow a number of western Agastaches and salvias with greggii parentage that need to wait until spring for cutting back, as well as grasses.

Thanks to all of you. Now, if I can just get used to the snow. . .

I agree, do mulch heavily though and if you don't cut them back until the Spring the current growth helps insulate the roots through out the winter. It looks untidy for the whole winter but it is worth it. It also helps to throw snow on them when you can. Just make sure that you don't wait to long to clean it up in the spring as it makes it harder to clean up with the new growth.

Digitalis is a Biennial which means that it only lasts two years, in the Digitalis case the first year is just foliage with the second year being flowers. I would not dead head it though because it does seed fairly well meaning that although the plant won't come back seedlings might pop up!

Delphiniums can be fussy (some complain) but I never do anything other than water them and they have come back for two years straight now. Maybe they don't like attention other than you admiring it?

Penstemon, baptista and Astilbe will be fine. Don't know about the others.

Having similar issues...dug up plants from a 5B city area to a 6B country area...and discovered the soil I was hoping to plant into is no good. Now what? Buy lots of soil and put them in pots all winter (bare roots right now). Or plant them in the ground...old garden space with poor soil quality...and re-dig up once the soil is fixed next spring.

Any thoughts?