At this time of year, many gardeners start to lose their enthusiasm for gardening and yard chores, but the actions you take now can affect the success of your garden next season.
The perennial garden
Although perennials may be slowing down in their growth above ground, they still are growing below ground and absorbing nutrients through their roots in preparation for winter, and watering is a must, right up until the ground freezes. Moist soil ensures better nutrient uptake, so this may mean watering the flower gardens regularly, even after a light rain.
Fall is a great time for dividing and planting perennials as the cooler temperatures reduce transplant shock and stress on the plant. Just make sure you water well after planting and provide some fertilizer with a high middle number, which is the phosphorus content (i.e., 10-30-10), to ensure good root growth.
As with the vegetable garden, you want to continue to remove weeds from your perennial beds. It is also imperative at this time to remove any diseased or insect-infested plants or leaves and dispose of them in the trash, not the composter.
Good housekeeping at this time of year helps to reduce the risk of re-infection next season. I like to fertilize my perennial beds with bone meal this time of year. I sprinkle it around the base of the plants and let the rain/water distribute into the soil to help the roots prepare for winter.
Never use a fertilizer with a high nitrogen content this time of year (stick to a high middle number as mentioned above).
Fall is also a great time to install mulches if you haven’t already done so. I installed bark mulch on all of my perennial beds last fall before freeze-up. The rewards in the spring were much better winter survival for my plants and only a small bit of weeding in the spring.
Any late-harvest crops still need regular watering. Our summer has been on the dry side, and any light rain we receive is utilized immediately, so supplemental watering is a must. Late harvest crops will need to be watered right up until they are ready to harvest.
Crops that are coming to the end of their harvest need to be pulled up because they will continue to grow and utilize nutrients from the soil. Use these crops to put nutrients back in the soil by either placing them in the composter or laying them over an area of the garden that is empty. Once these start to decay, you can till or dig them into the soil.
Continuing to weed the vegetable garden is a must right up until the ground freezes. You do not want weeds to take hold in this slow time in the garden because you will regret it next year. Annual weeds can self-seed, and then they are there in the spring. And if perennial weeds establish themselves before winter, you are guaranteed they will haunt you all next season.
If you have asparagus or strawberries, this is a good time of year to mulch these crops once the leaves have died back. The mulch ensures a good crop for next year and enhances the winter survival rate.
If you planted any trees or shrubs earlier this season, you want to ensure they remain well-watered right up until the ground freezes. This could mean watering every second day right now, as you want the water to penetrate deep into the ground where the roots are, so be generous (at least five gallons of water every two days even if there is rain in the forecast).
After a long summer, it’s easy to become disenchanted with your yard and garden, but take advantage of the cooler temperatures and remaining nice days to just tidy up.
Most gardeners don’t make the connection that the tasks I listed above can really make a difference in how your garden makes it through the winter. The rewards come next season when everything is in its full glory again.
