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Time for fall garden wrap-up
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[OCT.
8, 2004]
URBANA -- Fall is here and
it's time to “put the garden to bed” for the winter, said Sharon
Yiesla, a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator
based in Lake County. |
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"Here are some things that should be
done to get the garden ready for the dormant season," she said.
Clean up vegetable gardens and
annual flower beds
Harvest all usable vegetables and
annual flowers. Leftover debris can be tilled into soil to decay and
enrich the soil, or it can be placed into the compost pile. Clean up
weeds, as they can harbor diseases and insects. Add compost and
other organic material to enrich the soil. Mulch beds to prevent
erosion during winter.
Clean up perennial flower beds
Remove weeds that may harbor diseases
and insects. After a couple of frosts have occurred, mulch the
perennial bed, if needed. About 2-3 inches of mulch should be
adequate. Plants can be cut back now or in early spring. New
perennials can be planted in fall and established perennials can be
divided. September is usually the best time for this since air
temperatures are cool but the soil is still warm enough to encourage
root development.
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Tree and shrub maintenance
Prune deciduous trees after they go
dormant (lose their leaves) or in early spring. Late-summer and fall
flowering shrubs can also be pruned after they go dormant. Do not
prune spring flowering shrubs in fall, as they already have their
flower buds. Deciduous trees and shrubs can be fertilized after they
go dormant in October. Continue regular watering as long as the
ground is not frozen. Watering is especially important for
evergreens.
Miscellaneous
Plant spring flowering bulbs in early
fall (mid-September to mid-October). Clean garden tools so they will
be ready for next season. See to proper storage of seeds, fertilizer
and garden chemicals. Drain and store garden hoses. Consider
composting as a method to deal with garden debris and autumn leaves.
[University of Illinois news
release] |
