Frost Alert! Fall chore time!
One of the best times of the year to work in the garden is after the first frost. Doing the fall chores that prepare the garden for winter is doubly rewarded. You not only have that wonderful feeling of satisfaction when you have finished, you also have completed one of the very few jobs in your life that will stay done for as long - the duration of the winter.
On the other hand, some traditional fall chores need to be rethought. We used to cut down all the perennials as soon as their tops were frosted. The reason was to remove insect and disease overwintering sites. However, if there was no disease in the garden, it is best to leave the tops for several reasons. Many of the perennials lend shape and form to the winter garden. Birds often find refuge in the dried foliage. They are protected from the wind and the eyes of predators as they feed on seeds. Beneficial insects also need over wintering sites. Research is pointing out the benefits to hardiness provided by the dried plant top too. So, shouldn't we cut down any perennial foliage? Yes, peonies to prevent overwintering botrytis, bearded iris to deny shelter to iris borers and the mint family (especially Monarda) to remove the winter cover of the four-lined plant bug. When you do cut back perennial tops, leave 3 to 6 inches to help retain snow cover.
Many people like to prune in the fall. Remember not to start this chore until the plants' leaves have changed color or fallen off. Better still, wait until late winter or earliest spring to do it so that the plants can use the starches in those stems and branches to help get through the winter.
I mentioned fall mulching in the last article. It is the basic fall technique in cold climates. So I'll say it again: Mulch after the ground freezes. You are trying to "keep cold" not warm. The freeze/thaw cycle in the upper few inches of the soil that occurs on uncovered ground during sunny days in mid- to late winter causes the most damage to plants. If you forget or have no mulch, hope for good, consistent snow cover. I prefer to use the leaves that I must rake anyway. We shred ours and put them on the perennial beds, but if you have leaves that disintegrate easily, just rake them in that direction.
Latest Articles