I have to admit I'm still getting used to "Fall" as a concept here in Montreal. After spending most of my life in the UK where summer fades into winter. Its great having the distinct season of Fall for the past few years since i have been i canada. I am also glad of fall as all these sunny sundays allow me to get my huge job list done before winter and snow appears. I would never had guessed there would be so much prep in the garden for a winter season All of which is great fun. Well thats my coffee break over back to collecting leaves for the compost heap Reason for the post, just wondered if any of you northern north americans have any tips on prepping the garden for winter for a newbie.
Dan, I always have good intentions, but at most I usually cut down the dead foliage and mound a bit of soil around the base of the roses. Almost everything comes back in the Spring though. Raking generally takes up so much time we don't do too much else. I'm in NJ.
Dan, we enjoy fall also, although it is brief for us. Right now the daytime temps are such that we enjoy working outside. Unfortunately, we don't have leaves to rake, but we do have mowing to do and trimming of perennials. When we lived up north we mowed over all the leaves we could and bagged them with the mower, then piled them around the more sensitive perennials. We also brought in potted plants before it got really cold--saved them from adjusting to the cold, then adjusting again to the warmth of the house. And of course, harvesting everything in the garden in a big hurry because a hard freeze was imminent!
Hi Dan. Autumn really can be a busy time of year for gardeners. There is the harvesting of all the vegetables etc. As the days grow shorter, and the temps go lower, the annuals tended all summer begin to fade. So they need to be thanked and sent to the compost pile. If I grow little shrubs or perennials in containers (which I often do) I have to find a spot and plant them before it freezes. All the containers get scrubbed and put away indoors. We put a winterizer fertilizer on the turf and deep water it in. Then, after a few frosty nights, the leaves turn colors and then fall to the ground. They need to be raked up off the turf. This job takes up considerable time because we have a lot of trees around here! I like to make sure all my trees, shrubs, and perennials are watered deeply before the ground freezes. Then I put the hoses into the shed. I have all sorts of yard art that I don't like to leave outdoors, so I have to collect all that and put it away too. Whew! When I am (hopefully) done with my chores, I clean and oil all my tools. I am always so grateful for the beautiful days of autumn. It gives us a chance to be thankful for another good growing season, and prepare for the cold days of winter dormancy.
thanks guys, glad to see i'm not alone with the fall preparation Kathy thanks for the tip on the roses, i have some leaf mulch ready to go on them once the leaves fall, but i might get some soil over the crowns now. Marlin how do you bag the leaves with the mower? I'm currently using the mower to mulch and collect the leaves before dumping them on the beds as a mulch ready for next year. any excess i put on the compost heap, do you put a plastic bag inside the mower bag? Kay i totally agree and do stop to appreciate this time of year as it is one of my favorites (no mosquitos )
