Bedtime Rituals In the Garden: Now I lay my Plants Down to Sleep - Page 2

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Oct 1, 1999

This year, I'm doing things differently. Like a parent going through bedtime rituals with a recalcitrant child, I'm already preparing the garden for its long winter nap. Oh sure, my garden is trying to convince me it's not ready yet. The roses are blooming; the moonflower vines still flower at night. I see the bright, tender green of new growth popping out all over, as if each plant is begging to stay awake for just a while more. But the chill in the night air that sends me crawling under layers of blankets, the dew on my car when I leave for work in the morning, even the squawk of migrating geese all tell me it's time to tuck in the garden. Fortunately, putting the garden to sleep for the fall is much easier than coaxing a child into preparing for bed.

The first step to putting your garden to bed is instilling good hygiene. No, I don't mean that you'll wield a toothbrush like a weapon or scream at your plants to floss, brush, and wash. But just as tooth cavities breed during sleep, plant diseases and pests will flourish while your plants peacefully slumber if you don't diligently protect against them. Go through your garden and clear out any brown stalks or stems. Lift up and discard fading annuals and clear out any rotting debris. Compost what's healthy, but never, ever put diseased residue into the compost pile - you'll just be postponing your woes to next year.

If you've grown vegetables or a bed filled strictly with annuals, now is the time to turn and amend the soil. You can plant a cover crop, like winter rye, if you're concerned about erosion; many cover crops actually amend the soil if they're plowed in during the spring. Some gardeners - those with time - like to put down layers of black polyurethane plastic right about now so any dormant weeds or diseases will suffocate under layers of snow. I'm lazy, so I just tell Hubby to turn over the soil and leave it rough until next year's planting time.

Become familiar with the proper pruning time for shrubs and trees in your area. In Northern gardens, it's best to wait and prune in the spring so your plants don't mistake pruning as an encouragement to grow. Southern gardeners, or those in mild winter climates, may get away with fall pruning. If you're not sure which is appropriate for you, check with your local extension center.

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