Most avid gardeners and landscapers look forward to the fall and winter seasons as much as they do the vibrancy of spring and summer. Fall means preparing for spring and there are a lot of things to do to help minimize the damaging effects of a hard winter. Caring properly in the fall will minimize the work needed come spring. New gardeners and landscapers are overwhelmed by the sheer size of the list of things to do. Don't be, follow these easy instructions and you can be prepared for anything your garden grows come spring time.
Know your terrain - What type of soil do you have in your area? Once you know that you can find the proper soil additives and fertilizers to ensure the ground itself is ready to be planted after the last frost.
Know your types of plants - Each plant has different needs, so it is very important to carefully look at the various trees, shrubs and plants in your landscape. Feeding and fertilization of each plant varies, some will have to be pruned others will need to be fertilized.
Once you know what's in your garden, follows these easy instructions:
Seed Stalk Plants - Should always be removed in the fall to avoid the need to weed in the spring. Removing seed stalk plants from your garden in the fall will also provide room for new different plants in the next season.
Shasta daisies and Goldenrod plants- Remove any spent flower stocks before winter and cut back extra growth. Cutting back will help them grow bigger and healthier in the spring.
Shrubs - Don't need a lot of preparation. Some like to cover shrubs with burlap to help avoid frost, but it is not necessary. Shrubs are hearty and resilient, but if you have a dying shrub, remove it to make room for another healthy one to be planted in the spring.
Roses - Are very vulnerable to the effects of fall and winter. If the roses are incorporated into the landscape, take extra care to help them survive in order to keep the overall landscape beautiful. Extreme weather changes kill roses, so take care in either bringing them in over the fall winter season if you can, or covering them outside. Keep in mind roses hate humidity as much as frost, so watch the indoor temperature as well.
Perennials - Should be treated like shrubs. They are hearty and resilient much like the shrubs, and aside from some minimal pruning they won't need extra care.
It's always a good idea to use this fall and winter season as an opportunity to make changes and improve your landscape and garden. Take a good hard look at your landscape, how can it be improved? Maybe there are new flowers you would like to plant or a new line of shrubs to create a room-like space outside. Whatever your creative mind comes up with, do your homework, know your terrain and have fun. That's what it's all about anyway, isn't it?
