By Leslie Cox
Special to The Record
Now that the autumnal equinox is upon us, it is time to put our gardens to bed for the year.
First on my list is moving my houseplants back indoors. But before they can cross the threshold, they must be primped and treated for pests. Nothing worse than battling aphids, spider mites, or scale once your plants are in the house. I also check for critters who are better left outside because last year a tree frog came indoors with one of my rex begonias.
After trimming, I thoroughly spray my plants with insecticidal soap, making very sure to coat the underside of the leaves as well. A week later, I repeat the treatment, and if there is time, will do a third spraying a few days after the second one.
I don’t bother spraying the pelargoniums (zonal geraniums) as they are pretty much pest-free. But I do trim them and stick some of the cuttings in water to root for new plants next year. Then I move the pots indoors.
My dad always dug up his zonal geraniums, cleaned off the roots and stored them in paper bags in his workshop. I should have paid more attention to his method, as I have not had any luck myself. Hence, I bring the pots indoors so I won’t lose them. Some are my dad’s plants and are more than 30 years old.
Garden clean up is ever ongoing. There are some plants that are looking pretty ragged now, especially after such a tough summer. Getting rid of the debris allows you to better evaluate the rest of the bed - what is working and what is not.
This is a good time to divide or move plants around. Let the winter rains water in new plantings to get them off to a fresh start. We really cannot rely on enough rainfall through late spring and summer to do the watering for us.
Don’t be too overzealous in cleaning up the garden. Leave some seedheads for the birds to scrounge. They are also great soil pest scavengers.
Best not to do too much pruning from here on in. You don’t want shrubs and trees sending out new growth that could suffer frost nip.
Fresh cuts on branches now could also invite pest and disease attack.
Need more spring colour? Get those bulbs in the ground before the ground freezes solid! Also a good idea to get your garlic bulbs planted before the month is out.
Once the bulbs are in, spread some mulch around. Leaves coming off deciduous trees are good for protecting the beds from soil erosion. They also feed the soil as they compost.
Keep an eye on the weather. Once that first frost hits - if not before - you want to dig up tender callas, eucomis, begonias, gladioli, cannas, and dahlias. All must be cut back, roots/tubers cleaned off and dried before properly storing them in a frost-free place. (Specific instructions for each can be found on my website: duchessofdirt.ca)
Winter winds can be ferocious so make sure young trees, roses, and vines are securely fastened to a post or trellis.
Also protect your perennials from standing ground water. Crown rot is a winter killer in our region so it is a good idea to raise their crowns slightly above soil level.
Or dig a trench around the plant if you see it submerged.
Honestly, after all that work, gardeners are ready for a winter break. Including this one. This will be my last Duchess of Dirt column until next March when I will be back to get gardeners revved up for a brand new planting season. In the meantime, if you have any questions or want to see what is happening in our garden, visit duchessofdirt.ca.
Leslie Cox co-owns Growing Concern Cottage Garden in Black Creek. Her website is at www.duchessofdirt.ca and her column appears every second Thursday in the Record, throughout the spring and summer months.