No, you should not have your coral bells cut back in fall. Leave all the foliage in place through winter because those leaves protect the crown from cold damage. Cutting them off in autumn strips away the plant's natural blanket right before it needs that cover the most.
I learned this lesson the hard way during my second year growing these plants. I tidied up my garden in October and cut every coral bell down to the ground like I did with my hostas. By spring, three out of five plants were dead. Their crowns had popped right out of the soil over winter. The two that survived had been in a sheltered corner next to the house. That mistake taught me more about pruning heuchera fall timing than any book ever did.
The reason behind leaving the leaves is a process called frost heaving. Coral bells have roots that sit near the soil surface. When the ground freezes and thaws over and over through winter, it pushes those roots upward like a slow-motion jack. The old foliage acts as a blanket that slows down how fast the soil temperature changes. UVM Extension warns that these exposed roots are one of the biggest threats to coral bells in cold climates.
Good coral bells fall care focuses on what you add, not what you remove. Instead of cutting anything, spread 2 to 3 inches of mulch around the base of each plant after your first hard frost. Use shredded bark, straw, or chopped leaves. Keep the mulch a half inch away from the crown itself so moisture doesn't collect there and cause rot. This layer adds extra protection on top of what the old leaves provide.
Wait until early spring to do your cleanup. Once you see fresh new growth pushing out from the center of the plant, you know it's safe to trim away the old stuff. Grab the brown or tattered outer leaves by the base and pull them off with a gentle tug. Most of them come away clean without any tools. For stubborn leaves, use sharp scissors and cut at the base of the leaf stem.
Don't remove leaves that still have any green color to them, even if they look rough. Those leaves are still feeding your plant through early spring. Only take off the ones that are brown, dry, and dead. I remove about half the old leaves during my first spring cleanup and let the rest fall away on their own as new growth fills in over the next few weeks.
The only time you should cut coral bells during the growing season is to remove spent flower stalks after they finish blooming. Snip those stalks down to the base to keep your plant looking tidy and to push its energy back into growing strong leaves. Your plant will thank you by producing a thicker, fuller mound of foliage through summer and into the next fall.
Read the full article: Coral Bells: How to Grow and Care Guide
