Fall Clean-up in the Garden

A little cleaning and tidying in the garden will make spring work less overwhelming. When the last of the winter snow has melted away, the garden will look every bit refreshed, healthy and ready to ‚”spring” to life.

Tips for Tidying the Flower Beds

Try to do these chores before the first frost. Then the gardener can just sit in the warmth and wait for spring.

1. Remove all the dead leaves and other debris laying in the paths and on top of the soil bed. Give those beds a final light hand cultivation.
2. Now is the time to cut back perennials.
3. It’s also the best time to move plants around, including perennials, shrubs, roses and evergreens. As the plants grow and flower, gardeners see the aesthetics of the garden in new ways. Balance is important in garden design. Moving them around just as they are going into dormancy is the ideal time.
4. Add compost to the Perennials.
5. Pull up all the spent annual bedding plants.
6. If not protecting hardier climbing roses with burlap, ensure they are tied in and secured well against the winter winds.

Tips for Tidying the Vegetable Garden

There are many vegetables that grow on for a later harvest and the gardener may want to plant those in a specific area, to make fall clean-up easier.

1. Dig over the vegetable garden and pull any of the big roots.
2. Avoid the vegetables that can grow on for later harvesting.
3. Add a mound of soil to any perennial vegetables, like rhubarb. Rhubarb should be cut down without destroying the crown.
4. Rake it out for a flat surface.
5. The vegetable garden will still need another cultivation in the spring along with whatever soil amendments the gardener may wish to make. But doing this now will make it a lot easier.

Tips for Tidying the Lawn

Lawns don’t need a lot of tidying in the fall, but a clean lawn before the snow falls will help to keep it free of disease.

1. Cut the lawn before that first frost, but it’s not necessary to cut as close as it’s usually is cut.
2. Pull or dig up weeds in the garden beds and in the lawn.

Caring for Garden Tools

Leaving garden tools wet or muddy over the winter can cause them to rust. Gardeners spend a fortune on their equipment and it’s important to keep the tools in good shape

1. Clean all your garden tools thoroughly, and put them away for the winter.
2. Clean and grease riding mowers and weed eaters and remove any leftover fuel if they are to be stored in the cold.

Painting and Repair

The gardener may want to take a walk around her garden at study the decorative fixtures for anything crying out for repair. Winter can cause havoc on wooden structures as well as hardscapes.

1. Repaint wooden fences or arbors if they are beginning to show wear. Painting them before the winter add to their longevity.
2. Repair concrete now to avoid further damage. Outside stone work such as garden walls should also be scrutinized for problems.

Last Minute Work

Even when the gardener thinks all is clean and tidy, there is bound to be something she’s missed. Don’t overlook the porch, patio or terrace.

1. Bring in any empty clay pots or other containers that could be damaged by the constant freezing and thawing throughout the cold season.
2. Put the garden furniture in the shed and bring in the pillows and seat cushions to avoid rodents nesting in them.
3. Ensure the outside water taps are turned off and hoses drained.
4. Protect cold-frames with canvas.
5. Cover the barbecue.
6. If window boxes aren’t fixed permanently in place, they should be treated like pots. Remove the soil and store them in shed.
7. If the gardener has a wood stove or fireplace in her home, ensure the logs are piled neatly for drying and easy access.

For information on protecting the garden in winter, please refer to How to Protect Perennials and Roses for Winter.

The gardener can relax now and enjoy the last flowers of fall like sedum and fall asters before the onset of winter. A walk in the garden or in the country, can bring all sorts of lovely things into the home. When the leaves change color, enjoy them inside with an assortment of fauna. Add a mixture of seed heads and spent hydrangea florets for a beautiful and long lasting fall arrangement..

In January all the plant and seed catalogs arrive and she can begin to plan her garden again – decide where to place all the new plants she’s going to order with little concern to spring preparation.

References

• Practical Guide to Home Landscaping, Reader’s Digest, 1978
• The author’s own knowledge and experience.