Wintering Over Perennials

This is kind of a follow-up to one of Sue's questions from my last Blog, while it is rather incomplete because I do not do a lot these are a few of the things that I usually try to do for some of my plants. I have recently change what I do based on some of my appreciation for beneficial insects and birds so keep that in mind as well when you read this.

Getting your garden ready for winter is important to the health of your plants. How and when one cut things back is determined by the individual needs of your plants, your desire to provide food and cover for wildlife, and your appreciation for winter interest.

In years gone by I use to cut everything back to the ground for a neat appearance. Then I began to realize that butterflies lay eggs on leaves, birds feed on seeds and berries, and many animals use plants as cover. I also discovered the beauty created by seed heads; grasses and perennial stems left standing for winter can be a form of a winter garden. So now my desire for aesthetics has been replaced by a concern for wildlife has changed this urge to snip everything in sight.

So now my question is, should I cut anything back? The simple answer is, yes. Plants that had a serious disease or insect infestation should be cut back and the trimmings bagged with your trash.

Plants with no winter interest should be trimmed, too and recycled when possible. Some examples would be plants like veronicas or geraniums that blacken and turn to mush at the first cold snap. Also cut back plants that vigorous reseed themselves. Some of my plants would take over my whole garden if I did not use a firm hand in fall trimming.

Here are five categories of plants that should not be cut down for winter. First, any plant you feel contributes aesthetically. Grasses give wonderful architecture to the winter garden, so wait to cut them back until spring. Interesting seed heads and branches of arching perennials and shrubs also add winter interest, so spare them, too. This is all very subjective; so cut what you do not like and leave what appeals to you.

I usually do this with my grape, that way the birds can feed on the grapes and also allows me a few months before I have to do it.

Try to avoid cutting back tender perennials or ones that are not reliably hardy such as mums, asters and ferns. The old foliage helps to protect the crowns through winter. Show discretion when cutting back plants that are late to show in the spring; some plants are notorious for worrying gardeners by sprouting later. So leave a good chunk of their stems to mark their location so you do not disturb them or plant something on their heads.

Some plants such as sun drops have attractive evergreen foliage at their base. If you prune these plants well throughout the summer, there is no need to cut them back further. Let their whorls of foliage bring a little color and beauty to your winter garden A few shrubs bloom best on new wood. The butterfly bush, for example, will bloom more heavily if you wait to prune them until spring. Spare them a fall cutting and they will deliver winter interest and a bountiful flush of new growth and blossoms.

The timing and method of cutting plants back for winter is important, too. Later is better, generally. If plants are cut down too early, it can stimulate growth, use up energy reserves and keep the plant from coming back in the spring if a hard frost hits the tender new foliage. So, avoid cutting back plants too early. This is good for those of us who are procrastinators to one degree or another.

It use to be that people would wait until the first hard frost - as early as October or November in some areas - but I usually start my fall clean-up whenever it starts to get cooler in late October or early November.

For many years I did not do not do it until December or January, but that usually had more to do with my annual two weeks off at the end of December when I worked at Boeing.

Another question is always, how low should one cut? A good rule of thumb is two to three inches from the ground. That leaves some stems to act as a marker and avoids damaging the crowns or any over wintering buds that may lurk at or just below the surface.

With the cooling temperatures and falling leaves, fall gardening is a real pleasure. Preparing your garden for winter with an eye toward preserving beauty and wildlife will make it a task that adds valuable habitat and attractive winter interest.

I guess I got a little carried away with that and a little bit down a rabbit trail. So getting back to Sue's question, something else that one can do with the leaves that they have raked up is using them for mulch.

In gardening, winter could be defined as the time of year when most perennials become dormant. This time can vary from early September in some parts of the country to late December and beyond in others.

Cold is the major factor inducing plant dormancy. Thus, in preparing for winter, it is crucial to understand just what kind of cold affects your garden.

Snow, sometimes called a "poor man's mulch," forms an insulating blanket on the garden. Temperatures in the ground beneath the snow cover always hover around the freezing point, while they can plunge below freezing immediately above the snow line. Perennials that are dormant at a constant temperature rarely have trouble surviving winter months.

However plants in areas with little snow cover can suffer during unexpected or unusual cold spells. These need a 2 to 3 inch winter mulch; preferably an organic one, such as shredded leaves, fir/pine needles; several layers of B&W newspaper could be used in a pinch, but it does not work as well unless it is kept wet as it has a tendency to want to blow around.

The mulch protects plants from unusual cold spells and helps to maintain a uniform temperature so that the soil does not thaw out prematurely and expand when encrusted with frost or ice particles.

Before one adds mulch in winter, make sure your garden bed is as clean as possible. Clear away dead foliage and pull out all weeds. Then spread the mulch just after the soil freezes.

Now, you can step back and take a look at your garden and enjoy it knowing that you will not have to work in it for a few more months. If you have been considering improvements, decide where you would like to place new perennials and put some kind of markers in those areas. You might even want to write the name of the intended plant on each marker; this will make your spring planting a little easier.

Well, I am sure that there is a lot more that I could write about but not wanting to bore anyone to death I will put a close on this chapter of wintering over perennials at least for now.

Thing to do Around the Yard in the Fall - Part 2

Last Tuesday I had my first installment of my to-do list for fall at the request of my sister Sue; this is my second installment. These are not in any particular order as depending on what part of the country one lives might depend on when they might do these things.

Today's topic is pruning and if you are like me, I prune almost all year long sometimes for artistic reasons and sometimes out of necessity. I start out with a list of some of the more common pruning tools, there are many others but these are the ones that most people might have around the house.



Pruning - The Tools You Need

Pruning trees and plants will make your yard look better while also improving plant health and growth. In this article, we’ll discuss the tools to have on hand to prune more easily and correctly. In part two in the next newsletter, we’ll discuss when and how to prune.

The tool you’ll use depends on the size of the branches you will trim and the amount of pruning you will do. As with all lawn and garden equipment, buy the best quality you can afford and then be sure to maintain the items as necessary.

Oil is one of your tools best friends along with steel wool or a Scotch Brite pads to remove sap and rust from the blades. I use kerosene frequently as well, as it contains enough oil to help prevent rust from forming.

If you have an old five gallon pail around the house fill it with sand and then when you have your oil change in your vehicle add about a quart to the pail of sand and stir well. This does a couple things: first it help clean your digging tools, shovels, spades, trowels, etc. and secondly it adds a coat of oil to the tool.

This is especially important if the tool is going to be left in the garage for a long period of time like over the winter. If you make a habit of doing this every time that you use your tools they will give your years of faithful service.

Since we are talking about pruning, be sure to use steel wool or a Scotch Brite pad each time after you prune so that the sap does not build up making pruning much more difficult. Since rust will help to dull you cutting blade on your pruners it is important to add a coat of oil to the cutting parts of the pruners as well as the moving parts. A little oil will make pruning easier the next time you go to use them.

Hand Pruners are small pruners used to cut stems up to about three-quarters of an inch in diameter. There are two types: bypass and anvil. Bypass pruners are a good choice because they have curved scissors-type blades that overlap, making a clean, even cut. Anvil pruners have a straight upper blade that cuts down on a flat lower “anvil”, which can crush stems rather than cutting cleanly.

Lopping Shears function like giant pruners. Their long-handles provide leverage and reach to trim branches on bushes and trees up to about one and three-quarter inches in diameter. Look for bypass blades on loppers.

Pruning Saws are used to remove branches that are too large for the loppers. This saw comes in various lengths with jagged teeth that also can vary in depth and how far apart they are spaced. To handle thick branches easily, choose a longer saw with the fewest deep teeth per inch. Average jobs (branches about two inches in diameter) can be handled easily with any quality-pruning saw.

Pole Trimmers give you the reach you need to trim tree branches overhead that are up to about one-and-a-half inches thick. As their name implies, most pole trimmers consist of a pole up to about 12 feet long (telescoping or set) with a bypass lopper (controlled by a rope) and a small bow saw at the top.

Flower Sheers are small garden scissors with wide steel blades that make clean, precise cuts. They are perfect for “cutting” flowers for a bouquet and trimming dead leaves and very thin branches from perennials.

Manual Hedge Clippers have long blades that help you cut evenly and long handles that give you the reach you need for hedge trimming. Some people prefer manually trimming their hedges because this method is more forgiving than other trimmers where mistakes can happen quickly.

Chain Saws are used for removing branches greater than three inches in diameters to felling trees. Before purchasing a chain saw, consider exactly what you will use it for so you purchase the right size. The longer the blade length, the bigger job it will handle. Keep in mind that chain saws are serious power equipment. Safety must be top of mind at all times.

When to Prune and How to Do it

Reasons to prune

Pruning is done to improve the appearance and health of your bushes and trees, and sometimes the safety of your home (removing tree branches that overhang your roof, for example). Prune to remove dead or diseased branches; tree branches that are too crowded or touching one another; and “sucker branches” that grow from the ground alongside the tree’s trunk or even sprout up from the side of the trunk itself. Bush pruning also promotes stronger growth and can improve blooming.

Pruning bushes

When you prune your bushes depends on whether or not they are a flowering variety. If you have a bush that blooms in spring or early summer – such as a lilac or forsythia – prune them right after they have bloomed. If you wait until late summer or fall, you will remove buds that are already set to bloom the following spring (even though you cannot see them) and you will have a bush with fewer blooms or none at all next year.

Shrubs that bloom in mid- to late summer or early fall - such as butterfly bush, many spireas and even roses – should be pruned in late fall or very early spring while they are dormant.

Bushes used as hedges or borders that are not maintained for their blooms can be trimmed in summer or fall.

Pruning trees

You will want to prune low, overhanging branches above your roof or driveway to prevent possible damage from falling limbs. You also should remove dead tree limbs and thin out branches that are crowding one another. For many tree pruning jobs – especially those that require climbing or using a chain saw – it’s best to hire experts rather than risk injury. A pole trimmer can be used to thin out small branches easily while your feet are safely on the ground.

The type of tree determines the best time to prune. Generally, prune in late fall to winter, when you can easily see the shape of the branches and the trees are dormant. Some trees, such as maples and birches, tend to release sap excessively if pruned in winter. Trim these trees in summer.

Shaping young trees

You can help a young tree establish an attractive and healthy crown with selective pruning. Trim out crowded branches, if necessary, while creating a natural shape to the tree. Some trees will grow with two “leaders” or main branches – trim away one to ensure a balanced look as the tree matures. Pruning young trees will not hurt them – just be sure you prune no more than one-fourth of the branches in any year.

Thing to do Around the Yard in the Fall - Part 1

Some time ago I posted in my blog on lawn care and Sue asked if I would do one on what I do in the fall to prepare the yard for winter so here is the first installment!

It is Not Fall Without Falling Leaves!

If you have trees in your yard, it is time for your annual fall ritual of leaf removal. The key to leaf management is to avoid procrastination. Instead of waiting for all of the leaves to fall, schedule two or three raking (or leaf blowing) sessions during the season. Don’t allow wet leaves to layer on your lawn because they will cut off oxygen and sunlight and eventually will kill the grass. Here are some leaf management tips:

Raking is the tried and true standby for managing leaves. Use a fan rake - wooden, plastic or light metal - and rake lightly over the grass, pulling leaves into several manageable piles. You can then bag your leaves or rake them down to your curb if you are lucky enough to have curb-side removal provided by your municipality.

Mowing over your leaves is an option if your leaf carpet is light (another reason to keep after this task!). You will have to make two or more passes to chop them up enough to leave them on the lawn as fertilizer. If you have a large yard with lots of trees, get a mulching blade for your mower – it will finely chop up grass blades and leaves that can more quickly sink into the soil and feed your lawn.

Using your leaves to make compost is great if you enjoy gardening. The good news is that leaves can be the mainstay of your compost pile. They are classified as “brown material” which should make up about two-thirds of everything that goes into a compost pile. Rake your leaves onto a tarp and drag them to the compost area***. You really don’t need a fancy bin. If you have only a few leaves, you can dig them directly into your garden and let them decompose over winter.

Enjoy your yard and all it has to offer. From raking leaves to your final pass with the fertilizer spreader, know that the time you spend pays off in a more beautiful yard every year.

***How to Start a Compost Pile

Anyone with a backyard can start an environmentally friendly compost pile rather easily. Composting keeps organic yard and household waste out of local landfills while allowing you to create a rich, excellent mulch for your flowerbeds and vegetable garden. Here are some composting basics:

• You may want to create a simple, three-sided compost “box” of wooden boards to contain your compost materials, or you can just create a compost pile in an out-of-the way corner of your yard. Your goal is to create a layered pile of organic material about three feet tall and three feet square. This will allow the organic materials in the pile to heat up inside and decompose.

• Rule of thumb: The more you manage your compost pile, the quicker you will get rich, black compost. Management ranges from simply leaving the pile (everything decays in time, but this method may take a year or more) to turning the compost once or twice a week with a garden spade so the cooler exterior of the pile is turned under.

• Keep your compost pile damp. Depending upon your weather, this may be easy to achieve naturally during some seasons. You can check for moisture by turning over the compost with a spade – the center of the pile shouldn’t dry out. Depending upon the weather, you may have to sprinkle your compost pile occasionally to keep it damp, or cover it with a tarp to prevent it from being soaked regularly.

• The interior of the pile should be warm. This indicates decomposition of the organic materials is taking place.

• There should be both "brown" (carbon-rich) and "green" (nitrogen-rich) ingredients in your compost pile. Brown components are rich in carbon and include dried leaves, pine needles, spoiled hay, straw and paper. Make sure that most of the items – about two-thirds – are brown ingredients.

• Green ingredients are rich in nitrogen. You will want to create a thin layer of green ingredients between thick layers of brown ingredients. Remember, two thirds of your pile should be brown. You can create a five-to-six inch layer of brown, topped with up to two inches of green, then another layer of brown, and so on. Common green components include grass clippings, yard refuse (old vegetable stalks, last fall's flower stalks), coffee grounds, barnyard animal manure and fruit and vegetable kitchen waste (don’t add chemically-treated grass clippings, cat litter, dog feces, or meat/fat and bones). Avoid adding protein sources from meat to a compost bin, as protein tends to smell as it decomposes, attracting pests like raccoons and other creatures. A smelly compost pile means that meat sources were added to the pile. A compost pile using vegetable matter does not produce an odor.

• A few additional tips: You can throw weeds into the compost pile (green material) because the center of the pile heats up enough to kill weed seeds. If you get lots of rain where you live, tarp your pile so it doesn’t get soaked – damp is all you want. Depending on weather, your dedication to tending the pile and the ingredients in it, you can expect rich compost in four-10 months.