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"In autumn, watering should be done on
a continuing basis until the soil freezes and can no longer accept
water," said Sharon Yiesla. "Keeping plants well-hydrated helps to
maintain a good root system. It is from this root system that the
plant will resprout next spring." Good watering, Yiesla noted,
should consist of an inch of water every week from rainfall and
irrigation provided by the gardener. Supplying that water in a good,
deep, once-a-week watering is far more beneficial than sprinkling
every day or two. A deep watering will encourage a deep, strong root
system.
"Remove weeds from the garden before winter," she said. "Although
these plants will not be growing in winter, they can act as an
overwintering place for various diseases and insects. Removal of the
weeds helps to reduce certain pest problems for the following
growing season."
As plants begin to decline and head toward their winter dormancy,
gardeners should think about cutting the plants back to the ground.
"This activity may be spread out over a number of days or weeks,
since all perennials do not go into dormancy at the same time,"
Yiesla said. "As plants decline in appearance, they can be cut back
to the ground. Since most perennials will resprout from the root
system, there is no need to leave tall stubs of old stems in the
garden. Cut stems down close to the ground.
"There are a few perennials that tend to be semievergreen, and
these may not need to be cut down until after winter has passed."
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If the gardener chooses, cutting the plants can wait until
spring. Some plants, when left in the garden, can provide winter
interest, act as snow collectors (for insulation) and may provide
food for the birds. When choosing to leave plants uncut in the
winter garden, the gardener must be willing to set aside some time
in the spring to do the cleanup.
"Applying mulch in the fall can help insulate the garden soil
through the winter," she noted. "Before mulching, see how much mulch
is left in the garden from spring applications. Overall, about 2 to
3 inches of mulch is sufficient."
Gardeners often mulch too early, applying mulch to soil that is
still very warm, she added.
"Instead, wait until a couple of frosts have occurred and the
weather is becoming consistently cooler," Yiesla said. "This signals
that the soil is also cooling.
"Add mulch to obtain that 2- to 3-inch layer on the ground around
the perennials. Do not cover perennials with mulch or pile mulch
around their bases, as this may lead to excess water accumulation
and rot the plant."
Source: Sharon Yiesla, unit educator, horticulture,
yiesla@uiuc.edu
[University of Illinois
news release]
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