With winter coming fast upon us now is the time to get those
perennial plants, deciduous trees and shrubs in the ground for summer
and spring blooming. You can continue to plant as weather and time
permits, giving each plant a deep watering, applying and keeping two
to four inches of your choice of mulch; making sure you leave a space
of two to three inches between your plant and the mulch. If you live
in areas that receive harsh winters, or heavy #winter winds; it could
very well be worth your while to construct a windbreaker around any
sensitive plants to buffer any damaging effects. Continue to water
as necessary until the ground has frozen completely, then make sure
to add two to four inches of mulch of your choice to your perennial
borders and garden beds.
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| Shredded wood used as mulch. This type of mulch is often dyed to improve its appearance in the landscape. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
If rabbits, rodents, or deer have been a problem in past winters,
take precautions with valuable woody plants now. Creating a physical
barriers; which is more effective than sprays, to deter rabbits,
rodents and/or deer. To keep them from invading and living in the
#garden in winter, sorry but it might be necessary to cut down their
winter habitats, such as those ornamental grass clumps or perennials
you might prefer to leave standing for winter interest. To prevent
rabbits gnawing on your tree trunks or other valuable woody plants,
surround them with hardware cloth, leaving a space of about one to
three inches between the plants and hardware cloth.
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| Pixabay/Public Domain/CC0 |
All of your uncleaned ceramic, cement, or terra-cotta containers
should be emptied, washed and dried to prevent mold from forming and
stored in a frost-free space. Store all unused herbicides,
pesticides, fertilizers, and chemicals in original, labeled
containers safely in a frost free zone, such as your garage or
storing shed. Clean, sharpen and oil all of your tools. And before
any freezing occurs; make sure to check that you have disconnected
your outside water sources, drain hoses and empty any standing water,
such as in a birdbath, standing water features that are not heated.
Autumn is the time of year that most gardeners prepare their
garden for winter. Lifting, drying and storing your flower bulbs
that are not hardy enough to withstand the winter in your area is a
task best done in mid to late autumn.
Although most bulbs can be left in the ground in mild winter
zones, many flowering bulbs, such as, gladiolus, alliums, oxalis and
canna, cannot withstand harsh winter zones. After your bulbs have
finished flowering, it is best to leave the foliage to ripen
naturally. The foliage is what provides nutrients to the bulb
for future growth. You will know that it has ripened completely when
it turns yellow or brown and the slightest pull will detach it from
the bulb in the ground.
To lift the bulbs, insert a
spading fork straight down into the ground, clear of the plant and
deep enough to carefully lift the bulb from the ground. Gently
loosen and removal the soil around the bulb, pull off any dead
leaves, roots and bulblets. Place the bulbs in a tray, preferably in
a mesh tray, uncovered, and placed the tray in a cool area, allowing
the bulbs to dry for about seven to 10 days.
After the bulbs have dried, place them
in a label tray in a single layer, making sure they do not touch each
other and placed the tray in a cool dry place in planting time. Do
not enclose the bulbs, as good air circulation will prevent mold.
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