Sunnyside Blog

With October here it is now the time to put your gardens to bed. With nights becoming cooler and the reduction in precipitation, gardens have started to shut down for the winter.

 

Now is a great time to start cleaning up some of your perennials. As the plants die back and start to look shaggy you can cut them back. If any of your plants were troubled with mildew or other diseases don’t put those items in your compost piles, dispose of them.

 

As the leaves start to fall from trees you can collect them and use them for mulching your shrub beds, perennials and trees. The best way to accomplish this is to run your mower over your lawn so the leaves are shredded. Bag the leaves and let them sit so they dry out and start to break down. Once the ground starts to freeze you can spread the leaves over your garden areas. As the leaves break down they will add beneficial nutrients to your soil.

 

If you have any new transplants it is always a good idea to mulch these plants. You can use bark mulch, bark chips, straw or other materials. Apply after the ground freezes around the base of the plants. The mulch will help keep the ground frozen; prevent fluctuations in temperature and premature thawing of the soil.

 

Fall is an ideal time to top dress your beds to improve your soil. Add a 2-3 inch layer of compost or manure to your soil, there is no need to work organic matter into the soil. Organic matter will add nutrients to the soil and encourage a more friable, loose soil.

 

The most important task is the coming week’s is ensuring your plants are watered in for the winter. Once the trees and shrubs have shed their leaves but before freeze up make sure you water thoroughly and deeply. This will ensure that the plants won’t dehydrate in the winter.    On a warm day, late in the fall, you can apply an anti-transpirant spray, such as Wilt-Pruf, to your evergreens to protect them from drying winds.