Fall and Winter Gardening

The calendar says its autumn and so we must be in our Indian summer. Trees will be putting on their colorful fall show for us soon, for us gardeners we know that that there are things that we need to do to get the gardens ready for winter and next spring.
Now is the time to get a start on next year’s spring garden. So here are a few tasks that can be started. White the soil is still warm, so you should think about planting some perennials because their roots will become more established when spring does arrive.
Tulips, daffodils, iris and crocus bulbs should be put in the ground now for that burst of spring color. Tulips can still be planted up to early November if you don’t get to them now. When planting these bulbs except the tulips plant them 2-3 times deeper than the diameter of the largest bulb. The tulips should be planted 3 times as deep as they are wide. Also the larger the bulb, the larger your flower will be. For continuous spring blooms look for a variety of tulips that are marked for early, mid and late blooming. For you first-time gardeners, bulbs do not like wet feet, so don’t plant them where you know there will be standing water, and plant point up. Be sure that you always plant healthy, disease free bulbs for the best flowers.
Autumn is the time to add chrysanthemums; these plants are native to China where they have grown them for over 2500 years. They are considered a “Noble plant” in China. There are over 100 different “mums” to choose from so it can be a challenge to choose what color, size that will work in your garden. They will grow well in containers put them near your front door for a cheery greeting. Mums do require full sun and well drained soil to keep them looking their best. How they are watered is also important, too much will cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall off, too little causes woody stems and loss of lower leaves. Four weeks after planting, you should fertilize them with an all purpose fertilizer, then again later in the fall.
Asters in purple or blue are another colorful addition to a fall garden. Asters are another plant that is not fussy about the soil you plant them in, but they do like full sun. Aphids and spider mites could show up on this plant, if they do use an insecticidal soap on them. Spring will also bring out slugs, they are sure that the Asters were planted just for them. If you do not know how to get rid of them, you can call the Master Gardeners hotline at 707-784-1322 or e-mail [email protected] to learn a safe way to rid your garden of them.
Try pansies for winter and spring blooms. Their sweet fragrance is welcome on those cold, dreary winter days. Pansies seldom have pest or disease problems on their cheerful looking faces, but if they do appear use an organic fungicide, reading the label carefully on how to use it. Full sun is require for them as well, they are not too fussy about the soil that they grow in and does well in almost all types, a all purpose time released fertilizer will keep them at their best.
Trees and shrubs should be planted now, so that they have a start for a good root system before they go dormant. Now is also a good time to plant ornamental grasses. Their blooms will be at their best now so you can pick the one that works for you. Ornamental grasses add a lot of movement to a fall and winter garden.
Remember our native plants; we have over 4300 of them. For the type and best pick try to find a nursery that sells them. Most native plants societies have plant sales this time of year, so watch the newspaper for information on when and where they might be held. Native plants once established are fairly drought tolerant and pest free and grow with little attention. Our California lilac-Ceanothus has 43 different species. Their size ranges from low mounding to almost tree size. Wildflowers seed should be sow now for spring blooms. These are just a few of the many native plants we have that you might want to try in your garden heuchera, penstemon, salvia, California fuchsia, Coffeeberry and don’t forget our California poppy , but do not pick any of the native plants from the wild, you will face a fine if you do. It’s better to find a nursery that can help you find the native you might want. When these plants bloom you should see more butterflies, bees and birds in your garden.
Keeping your garden clean continues to be important during this time, so weeds do not have a chance to re-seed. Remove any annuals you know are not going to last into the winter months. If you grow camellias and have early blooming ones, be sure to remove any dead blossoms to prevent blossom blight. Wait until March to prune, fuchsia, hibiscus, or any frost sensitive plants. Cut back on fertilizer for winter, most plants will be in their dormant stage and will not need it. Frost protect your plants roots by putting down a layer of mulch. Mulch will also give their root system something to eat during winter along with protection.
Don’t forget to water your yard if our rains have not started. Keep your lawn mowed no shorter than 1 1⁄2 inches and clean of leaves to help with pest and disease control through the winter months.
Broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts should be planted now for your winter vegetable garden.
These are just a few things that can be done to have the gardens looking their best until spring. Remember that winter is when the spring and summer catalogs start coming to us this makes us start to think of spring and summer planting what new and colorful plants we might add to the gardens.
-- Betty Victor

Comments

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As a gardener, it's one of my saddest time of the year. :(