Noticing frost on the ground this morning puts even more urgency into fall clean-ups. A reminder to those that have signed up that if we have not already cleaned up your yard we will be there very shortly, and a reminder to sign up for your fall clean-up EARLY next year. Cleaning up the leaves in your yard and preparing plants for Spring is essential in maintaining a healthy lawn. Here are some tips for a healthier yard and plants come Springtime; it will be here before we know it!
1. Houseplants that have spent summer outdoors in the garden or on a patio need to be tended to first, usually in September. Many are tropical and will suffer once the night temperatures begin to drop. Set up an area outside to trim plants if necessary, check for insects and disease and repot any that have outgrown their current containers. Bring the plants indoors before you fully turn on the heat so that they have a chance to adjust to their new environment. The plants may lose a few leaves or the leaves may brown on the edges. This is simply an indication that the plant is adjusting to the lower light and humidity inside the house.
2. Poinsettias and Christmas cacti are two perennial favorites for winter blooming. The beautiful and rich reds and pinks are very welcome in the stark winter months. These plants, however, require special care. Both need a 14-hour period of continuous darkness each day from October 1 until mid-December to set flower buds. Two ways to accomplish this are to either set the plants in a closet or place a cardboard box over them from 6 p.m. until 8 a.m. for the period listed above. At all other times, the plants should receive normal light exposure.
3. Finish planting spring flowering bulbs such as tulips, daffodils and flowering onions as well as dormant, deciduous nursery stock before the soil freezes.
4. Caring for your lawn in the fall will bring you the best results the following growing season. Apply herbicides in September to control weed infestations. Aerate if the soil is compacted or if thatch is a problem and apply gypsum and fertilizer to improve soil conditions and provide nutrients for healthy turf growth. Continue mowing the lawn so that it is no higher than 1.5 to 2.0 inches going into the winter. A lawn should be only 1.5 inches tall where the snow tends to accumulate and snow mold or powdery mildew might be a problem. Most cool season lawns are best maintained at a 2- to 3-inch height during the growing season. As the month of October nears, the height can gradually be reduced to the overwintering heights.
And of course, make sure all leaves are picked up to avoid smothering the grass.
5. Take preliminary steps to protect roses. Final winterizing is usually done in late October after a deep freeze, but tying the canes loosely beforehand will ease the job. For the final winterizing, cut the canes back to about 6 to 12 inches and mound the plants with fresh topsoil purchased earlier. Cover with cones or bushel baskets for complete protection. Many gardeners successfully overwinter their roses and other tender perennials by covering with bags of leaves collected in the autumn.
6. Install simple windbreaks to protect young, tender plantings from drying winter winds. Anything that encourages snow accumulation will help provide excellent protection against low temperature or wind desiccation. Where evergreens are exposed, spray with an anti-desiccant to provide protection from drying winds. Spray again in mid-winter during a thaw when the temperature will be above 40 degrees F. for a few hours.
7. Protect young apple, maple and other tree species from rodent damage. Wrap tree trunks with hardware cloth up to the expected snow-line to provide the necessary protection. Plant material that has developed a thickened or corky bark is usually not vulnerable to damage of this sort.
8. After a heavy frost, remove all blackened plants such as zinnias, petunias, marigolds, etc. Remove and destroy plant stems on any perennials which may have had diseased foliage (ie. peonies and lilies). Good sanitation now will result in fewer problems next spring.
9. If there is time, turn the soil over in vegetable and flower gardens. Litter-free areas in the garden or under fruit trees will help eliminate many disease and insect problems the following season. Open spaces of fallow, weed-free soil are more attractive in winter and will make the soil ready for planting early next spring.
If the soil is particularly heavy, the addition of gypsum at 40 pounds per 1,000 square feet will help to soften the soil next spring. Thorough incorporation of generous amounts of organic matter such as compost or peat moss is also very beneficial.
Finally, to stretch out flowering a couple more weeks in the autumn, covering plants with plastic or cloth sheets, boxes or newspaper tents will provide protection against the initial frosts. Frequently, unprotected plants damaged by light frosts can be given an extension of useful beauty by hosing them with water before the sun rises.
Information adapted from document written by:
Ronald C. Smith
Extension Horticulturist and Turfgrass Specialist
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