Clean Sweep
Before tucking in your garden for the winter, there are a few tasks you won't want to overlook - that is, unless you enjoy the frustration that accompanies an unkempt, unhealthy garden on the first day of spring
If you want to be able to jump into your gardening routine in the spring, you’ve got to get a little dirty in the final days of fall. Image courtesy iStockphoto
In late fall when the last blossoms have browned and the trees are bare, it's tempting to pack up the gardening equipment for a few months.
Not so fast: Gardens need a thorough cleanup before winter sets in, say the experts.
"I like to leave the garden in the fall as I'd like to find it in the spring," says Vinnie Drzewucki, horticultural information specialist with Hicks Nurseries in Westbury, NY.
The chores you do now will prevent your yard from becoming a breeding ground for pests and diseases, protect tender young trees and plants from winter freezes and give you a head start in spring gardening.
Here's what to include in your fall garden campaign.
Musical Chairs
Rearrange plants that would benefit from another location."Fall is a great time for moving things, including shrubs, around because the soil is warm from the summer and things will continue to grow as long as the soil is warmer than 50 degrees," says Drzewucki.
Even if the air is chilly, the ground is probably warmer because it retains the months of heat.
Tidy Up
Clean up dead leaves and plants so diseases and insects can't thrive. You can compost most garden residues, but leave tomato plants out of the mix."It's better to not compost tomatoes because they're so disease prone. Put them in a bag in the garbage," says advises horticulturist Barbara J. Bromley, with Rutgers University Cooperative Extension, Lawrence, New Jersey.
Manicures
Mow the lawn."Continue to mow until the grass stops growing. The last mowing is around Thanksgiving. Most people assume it's Halloween," Bromley says.
Hydrate
Keep watering if it rains infrequently."You want plants to store water for the winter. Newly planted trees and shrubs are at risk for drying out. Even newly planted perennials will dry out if not watered," says Drzewucki.
Trim with Caution
Prune judiciously."Follow the three 'D's": Dead, diseased or damaged [tree limbs] can be removed at any time," says Bromley.
In addition, deadhead flowers on shrubs such as hydrangeas can go too. Otherwise save the heavy pruning for late winter or early spring.
It’s a Wrap!
Wrap or mulch delicate plants.Cover the smooth bark of young trees with burlap to prevent frost cracking. Spread a two- to three-inch layer of mulch around perennials and shrubs and mound soil around the base of roses to protect the graft area, Drzewucki says.
Don't overlook mulching once plants are snow-covered.
"A winter mulch helps keep the ground cold and prevents bulbs from peeking up in a winter thaw," says Bromley.
She suggests chopping branches off Christmas trees to place over bulbs. "The branches make excellent mulch, airy so water gets through and decomposing in the spring," Bromley says.
For the Birds
Save a little for the animals."Don't hack back your plants altogether. Leave standing perennial stems for birds," says Bromley.
Bev Bennett, a veteran food writer and editor, is the author of "Dinner for Two: A Cookbook for Couples" and "30-Minute Meals for Dummies"
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