Gardening by Judith Adam Last-minute tidying brings spring reward. This year’s summer heat may have driven you indoors, and there were days on which that was the best place to be. Usual maintenance tasks might have been abandoned, and water restrictions may have left the soil parched and hardened. However, there’s still an opportunity to get some basic work done that will be appreciated in the spring. The most important task is gathering leaves (both large and small) and conifer needles and using them for a two- to four-inch-thick mulch over all exposed soil in beds and around shrubs and trees. Leaves contain important nutrients such as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and iron that are released when composted and returned to the soil for plant roots to absorb. Over the winter, leaves will sink down and begin to compost in place where they are laid. Don’t hesitate to use the conifer needles; it’s a misconception that these are excessively acidic. If you don’t have enough leaves, your neighbours may be happy for you to rake their surplus. The cooling temperatures of autumn are an opportunity to address simple tasks that make an encouraging difference in the spring. If garden beds are disorganized and there isn’t time for a basic cleanup before winter, removing tall and long stems is enough to discourage closer examination. It’s an old gardener’s trick to use a bluntnosed spade to cut a fresh edge to the beds, drawing attention to the clean line and distracting from the possible chaos behind. Long vines (such as honeysuckle) and plants with tall canes (such as old-fashioned and climbing roses) need support to keep them vertical in strong wind and heavy snow. Anchor them with bamboo poles and secure with ties. Hardy shrubs in your garden probably don’t need the special protection of burlap wrapping. If a shrub is vulnerable to regional winter weather it can be wrapped, being careful not to compress the branches. Wrapping will not protect from cold temperatures, but it will help to prevent wind burn on broadleaf evergreens such rhododendrons. Cold-sensitive plants such as lace leaf Japanese maples and figs are better grown in large containers and moved into garage storage for winter. Patio and doorstep containers should be emptied of soil and turned over. Terracotta pots are particularly vulnerable to cracking when frozen soil expands in them over winter. Attention to these basic small projects in autumn will leave the garden partially groomed and ready for detail work in the spring, without feeling overwhelmed by seasonal tasks. If departure for winter warmth is approaching, there may be some last projects and a shortcut or two that, quickly accomplished, will make a pretty picture for your return in the spring. The time is right for planting spring-blooming bulbs, and wouldn’t it be nice to have them as early as possible? Well, when you know something about stem heights, you can. Prepping your Garden for the Winter 48 | www.snowbirds.org
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