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Putting your garden, trees to bed for winter

Submitted Photo

Now is the time to be getting your garden and trees ready for their winter rest. Time spent now can make for better gardens and trees with less problems with them next spring. Here are some suggestions to get ready for winter.

Tucking in your trees and shrubs

— Rake or mow/bag leaves and save to use for flower beds

— Put protective plastic sheaths or tree wrap around small trees. Drop moth balls inside sheath by tree trunk to keep voles from nesting in sheath

— Prune and shape trees and shrubs after leaf drop

— Spring flowering shrubs pruned now won’t flower next spring

— Water newly planted plants as well as evergreens slow and deep

— Apply an anti-desiccant (Wilt- Pruf, Envy, Moisture-Loc are some available) to tender plants to protect from winter burn

— Paint apple tree trunks with white latex paint to prevent winter burn/sun scald

— Mulch around tender plants – Elder, roses

— Pick up and discard fallen fruit

Perennial bed checklist

— Cut down plants now or in the spring??!! I suggest leave them with a few exceptions

— Leaving them over winter catches snow for insulation helping plants survive

— Leaving grasses, Baptisia, Sea Holly and such plants add interest in winter landscapes

— Some native bees use hollow stems for nurseries over winter

— Tall Phlox, Iris and Peonies tops should be cut and removed in fall to prevent disease

— Spread Sluggo in September to kill slugs before they lay their eggs and hibernate

— Fertilize bed with Super Phosphate, 0-46-0, to promote strong roots and abundant flowering next season

— Pull, bag and discard weeds. Don’t let them go to seed!

— Move plants to new desired spots

— Fall is best time to move peonies

— Spread Preen in beds where wanted

— Spread tree leaves over the whole bed to add insulation now and soil organic matter later

Tucking in your vegetable garden and annual beds

— Pull, bag and discard all plants to prevent disease spread

— Write down which varieties were good producers and which had problems

— Remove all vegetables that weren’t harvested, especially tomatoes, squash and gourds

— Fertilize with a medium nitrogen and high phosphorus fertilizer and dig into the ground

— Till in organic matter such as compost or tree leaves which have been through a mower

Time spent this fall preparing your yard and gardens for winter will reward you next season with healthier, more trouble free plants.

Ken Eraas is horticulture assistant with NDSU Extension Service/Ward County.

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