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The Winter Ready Garden

by Dianne Ryan

Fall is the time when we must prepare the garden for winter, whether it's cold temperatures, heavy snows, drying winds, or depredation by grazing animals. Gardeners living in colder areas will need to start winterizing the garden in September and October while warmer climate gardeners may wait until November and December.

Fall Cleanup
After a hard freeze perennials will typically drop their leaves. These leaves should be cleaned up, if you have had insect problems. Many problem insects will over-winter in the garden in the form of eggs or larvae. Leaves from overhead trees should be raked as they can smother garden plants when allowed to accumulate in great depth.

In an effort to clean up your garden, don't be in a hurry to cut off the stems and leaves of perennial flowers and summer-blooming shrubs (i.e. Butterfuly Bush, Blue Mist Spirea, Russian Sage.). Wait until mid-spring. Many plants more successfully over-winter when the stems are left on them until spring. The stems provide energy reserves for the root system and will also catch blowing snow that helps insulate the plants and provide extra moisture during winter months.

Mulching
Mulching is used to enhance appearance and control weeds, conserve moisture in the soil, maintain warm soil temperatures longer in the fall (to allow for increased root growth), reduce frost heave, and delay early spring growth that could be damaged by late spring freezes. Mulch should be applied to a depth of 2 inches and slightly deeper for trees and shrubs. Newly planted perennials should not have thick mulch applied all the way up to the neck of the plant. Many types of mulch are available including composted organic matter, gravel and straw. Once the soil has frozen, it is important to keep it frozen until spring so plants are not heaved out of the ground by alternate freeze and thaw cycles.

Watering
Plants will have a much better chance of surviving the winter if they receive adequate water (deep soakings) during the fall months up until the time that the soil freezes. If the soil is not frozen during winter months and snow or rainfall is minimal, plants should be watered every 3-4 weeks, weather permitting.

Fertilizing
Fall is the time to apply a winterizing fertilizer that promotes root development but does not promote lush, new top growth. For perennial flowers, spring blooming bulbs, shrubs and trees, apply generously at recommended rates. The plants will be ready to grow with the arrival of spring. Fall is the best time to fertilize native and turf type grasses.

Correcting Iron Deficiencies
If plants in your landscape have very yellow (chlorotic) foliage they may be suffering from an iron deficiency. Fall is the best time to increase the amount of available iron with a topdressing of Greensand and flaked soil sulfur. Greensand is a rich source of iron and potassium. The soil sulfur lowers the soil's alkalinity to make iron more readily available. For chronically iron deficient plants, dig a ring of one foot deep holes around the drip line of the tree and add a mixture of the Greensand, soil sulfur, along with generous amounts of comport into the holes.

Pruning
Most pruning is best done in late winter or early spring. An exception is pruning branches that may be subject to damage from strong winds or heavy snow. Climbing roses with very long canes may be trimmed back so they don't whip in the wind. Tree branches that have narrow branch angles that may be prone to breakage in heavy snows can be pruned in fall.

Animal Depredation
Spray Deer-repellant on the twigs (and foliage, if the plant is evergreen) to discourage browsing deer. Fall is an active time for gophers. Watch for fresh soil mounds to determine if they are out eating roots in your landscape.

Young shrubs and trees should have their lower stems protected from feeding rabbits if they are a problem in your neighborhood. This is especially true in snowy areas. Rabbits will burrow under the snow and nibble on the bark. Brown paper tree wrap is excellent to protect trees. Multi-stemmed shrubs and trees can be protected with chicken wire cylinders or other mesh-type barriers placed around the base of the plant.

Mark or Label Perennials
Be sure to id your perennials before winter dormancy hides them. Use a stake or metal label to mark the identity of each perennial planting.