Time to put garden to bed

If you haven’t already done so, it is time to think seriously about preparing our gardens for winter. A few hours spent putting things in order now will pay big dividends in spring, so this week we are just going to remind ourselves of all the things we haven’t thought about in a year.

“How many times have we simply loaded up our favorite container plants and brought them into our home to overwinter? Soon enough, we start wondering, “Where did all these insects in my living room come from?”

It’s a good idea to transplant the plants into clean pots with new soil and wash the foliage well. If necessary, spray the plants with an insecticide and put them inside a black plastic garbage bag for a day or so. Then clean them well before bringing them in.

“To control overwintering insects in the garden, cleanliness is the answer. It’s time to get rid of all that spent plant material. Rake up all the debris and send it to the compost pile. Any diseased material should be removed and destroyed (burn it or put it in the garbage).

“Shrubs and trees should be watered deeply so they won’t go into winter stressed. Keep watering throughout the fall until snow falls or the ground freezes.

“This is the time to plant spring flowering bulbs such as tulips, hyacinths, iris, daffodils and others. Remember to mark their location so you don’t accidentally dig them up when spring arrives.

“It’s also a great time to plant perennials, trees, and shrubs. The warm days and cool nights of fall will provide the roots an opportunity to get a head start on growing. They will be ready to take off at the first sign of spring.

“If your lawn has suffered over the hot summer and you need to do some repair work, take heart. This is a great time of year to reseed, whether patching bare spots or replacing the entire lawn. Just be sure to keep the seeded areas moist with several light waterings a day.

“Don’t forget to disconnect those hoses from the water bibs. The first freeze can break pipes if they have standing water in them. Also, remember to drain your sprinkler system before the cold weather starts.

“Wash garden tools thoroughly and apply a thin layer of oil to protect them over the winter. Clean the lawn mower and drain the gas tank.