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No need for nightmares
Photos and Story by Nancy Chennault
Fall clean-up projects are not as much fun as gardening in the spring. However, what you accomplish this fall will make your March days less labor intensive and your plants more likely to survive winter weather.
Pacific Northwest gardeners often approach autumn gardening projects with a sense of urgency. We want to “clean up” decaying annual flowers, untidy shrubs and thickets of perennials before the cold rains of winter dampen our enthusiasm. Before you clear out everything in sight, pause long enough to identify the different types of plants. A moderate approach to projects that address particular needs will ensure a successful winter slumber.
LAWNS appreciate an application of dolomite lime in the fall to raise the soil pH. Add a well balanced lawn fertilizer that releases a low level of nitrogen throughout the winter and you slow down the development of moss. Be sure to keep all leaves raked off the lawn as they can kill the grass over winter.
PESTS! Pulling young weeds while the ground is soft and warm is a much easier task. Many, such as chick weed, will bloom and set seed even in the winter and will spread rapidly next spring. Eliminating them now will cut down on your chores later.
SLUGS are preparing to go into hiding and they also love the moist weather. Find them under rocks, fallen leaves, boards and pots. Destroy them before they lay their eggs.
Some attention should be given to certain plants at specific times of the year and, of course, fall/winter is no exception. Take a look at your garden using the following list as a guide:
DECIDUOUS SHRUBS AND TREES (those that lose their leaves in the fall) are basically in two groups: those that bloom in the spring and those that bloom summer through fall.
Spring blooming shrubs, such as forsythia (pictured above), lilacs, flowering cherries and plums form their buds for spring blossoms the previous summer. Therefore, if you prune them heavily now, you are sacrificing part of the spectacular display for early spring. Prune these varieties at bloom time to enjoy them as cut flowers indoors. Or prune to shape immediately after blossoms fade.
Summer blooming shrubs would include hydrangeas, roses, butterfly bush and hardy fuchsias. These plants bloom on new wood. You will be cutting them back severely in mid-March, therefore they should be cut back only a little bit in the fall. Prune just enough to prevent winter winds from tearing them apart and to keep snow from breaking branches. Roses, for instance, should be cut back to about 24 inches. Hardy fuchsias appreciate a network of stems to shield the crown of the plant from pounding winter rains. Add some leaves or mulch to roses and fuchsias to protect from the severest of winter cold.
BROADLEAF EVERGREEN SHRUBS such as rhododendrons, evergreen magnolias and azaleas that bloom in the spring have also already formed flower buds for next spring. These plants should not be pruned in the fall.
CONIFERS (those trees and shrubs with needles) can be selectively pruned and used for holiday greenery. Intensive maintenance pruning should be delayed until new growth begins in the spring.
VINES often present a dilemma for the gardener in Autumn because of the wide range of types and growth habits. Older (2-3 years) clematis that blossom only on new wood in the summer should be pruned back to 18-24 inches. As a general rule, most other vines should be pruned just enough to maintain a tidy appearance and to keep them from being damaged by winter winds and snow.
PERENNIALS are similar to shrubs as they can be both evergreen, (Candy Tuft and Dianthus), and deciduous, (Asters, Delphinium and Shasta Daisies). When we see frosted perennial foliage (see photo below) we are tempted to grab the pruners and shear them off at the ground. Keep your pruners in your pocket! And use discretion. Asters and Shasta Daisies develop new growth at the crown over the winter and can be pruned back to the ground after the foliage has died back. However, plants such as delphinium that disappear totally in the winter are similar to the hardy fuchsias. Stems should be left to at least 12 inches high to act as deflectors for the pounding winter rains. Without these stems, the crown of the plant may become saturated and rot easily. Evergreen perennials should be left as they are until after they bloom.
ORNAMENTAL GRASSES are often incorrectly pruned in the fall to conform to a misguided conception of neatness. Tight knots of sheared “muffin-like” mounds are not the way to showcase evergreen grasses. (pictured at right) The late blooming inflorescence captures frost magnificently. Even after the grasses freeze and the blades turn to tan, they move gracefully with the wind until they are pruned to the ground Mid-March. If snow load breaks larger grasses, go ahead and cut them back after they thaw. Deciduous grasses, as pictured here (pictured left) show outstanding fall colors before they freeze to the ground. A simple raking will clean up the dried stems easily.
To make your fall clean-up days a satisfactory experience and beneficial for your garden, be sure to identify plants, set priorities for projects and practice pruning in moderation. You will have a sense of accomplishment when you have finished and your garden will awake from its long winter’s nap refreshed and renewed.
What garden task is currently on your "To Do: list? Do you rake leaves or use a power blower? Do you have any tips to share? Please add your comment in the space below:
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Long-time garden center operator Nancy Chennault has written Northwest Gardener since 2006. To suggest a topic or ask a gardening question, contact her at NWGardener@CRReader.com. She and her husband Jim now operate “The Plant Station” on their beautiful garden property in Castle Rock.
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