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Out back, in the garden...
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Your Garden's Winter Nap
Most garden and landscape plants require a period of dormancy in order to rest.
This gradual dormancy, usually brought on by cooler weather is
very important for garden plants such as roses and perennials. Entering a
resting phase with controlled moisture and no fertilization is necessary
in order to be long-lived. Several light frosts --those that nip the tops
of the foliage of perennials deemed tender in your area-- generally come before
what is termed "the first killing frost" of the season. As light frosts begin
in many areas, it's time to prepare the perennial bed for winter.
As a rule, remove dead and diseased stalks, stems and leaves first;
then trim the remaining foliage to about 4". Pull any remaining weeds and
throw them out to prevent pests from living in them all winter; otherwise
they'll come out in greater numbers in the spring, and aren't they bad enough
already??
You can apply a winter mulch even after the first freeze, carefully avoiding
the rosettes of perennials such as gerbera daisies that will rot if mulch is
applied toodeeply while they sleep all winter.
In areas where temperatures regularly drop below 20 degrees F., roses will be
benefited by some protection, although if you only have the infrequent
surprises of 20 degrees it may be arguable. After the first frost, strip
leaves from plants that suffered from blackspot. Remove old mulch and
replace with a new disease-and pest-free material that will give your roses
a new beginning in spring.
COVER CROPS
A cover crop in vegetable gardens will
provide nutrient to the soil as well as winter protection; simply till it back
under in spring. Green manure crops like annual rye, crimson clover, hairy
vetch, or winter wheat can provide shade for the soil, prevent germination
of weed seeds, and 'fix' nitrogen deep within the soil (hence the name
green manure. If you choose to till
in autumn instead of planting a cover crop, top it off with a winter mulch.
ABOUT PERENNIALS...
- Rule Number One, never bring perennials inside for the winter.
- Rule Number Two, See Rule Number One!
You can bring annuals inside over the winter, however perennials are
"programmed" to need the cold of winter as part of their life cycle.
Because they need to nap outside all winter, potted perennials also should not
be overwintered in clay pots. Two reasons:
- Clay pots can crack when exposed to the extremes of winter temperature
- Clay 'breathes' and may cause the plants to dry out before they freeze or
during a mid-winter thaw
Use plastic pots instead. They retain moisture and won't crack from the cold.
If you prefer clay, place a plastice pot inside it.
Once nights start getting cold, find a
protected area to store all the perennial pots together. Find a place protected
from the harshest winds. Cover the pots with a healthy layer of mulch and
weigh it down with brick or large rock. Use this same method to overwinter
hardy mums and other fall blooming plants. Don't over water the plants
before mulching them, but make sure that they are moist to allow the best freezing.
TIP : Many gardeners choose to use inverted clay pots to cover
perennials for an advantage of protection
from drying winter winds. You can construct chicken wire to stand over a large
garden bed, cover it with burlap and secure it to the corners of the frame.
Perennial vegetables like artichokes, asparagus, chayotes and rhubarb can also
be protected like this.
TREES & SHRUBS
Soak broad-leaved shrubs and newly planted trees if you haven't had much rain.
Apply 3 to 6 inches of mulch after the first killing frost
but for sure by the time the ground freezes. Leave a little distance
between the mulch and the trunks of trees and large shrubs to discourage rodents.
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THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO Hmmm
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C L O S I N G C O M M E N T S
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I found an article on winter gardening I thought maybe some of you would be
interested in, judging from your comments....
The low-tech winter salad green garden.
A few bales of hay and some plastic sheeting are all it takes to grow winter
greens, even in the frigid Rocky Mountains. Clara Coleman explains the method
and plant selections that work best for winter greens in her Colorado garden.
From Mother Earth News
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-Aristotle
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