Carrie Barre-LiBaire's Gardening Column

Down to Earth Gardening

As I’m writing this we have just experienced our first hard freeze, and the Impatiens and Coleus have succumbed to it. I’ve been in gardening limbo waiting for this freeze so I can finish up my fall gardening tasks. There is no denying that the end of this year’s outdoor gardening season is almost here, so it’s time to wrap things up for this year.

I just don’t have the heart to pull anything that’s still blooming, so I have been waiting for fall dieback so I can get busy. Now that all the Impatiens have wilted, I’ll remove them and use that container for more fall plantings. I’ll move some non-hardy ornamental grasses like Toffee Twist and Corkscrew Rush where I had Coleus. They won’t survive much longer either, but they maintain their form after they die. A container filled with one of these grasses, Ornamental Kale, and a small pumpkin will look great until after Thanksgiving.

There is still time to fertilize the lawn before the ground freezes, so I’ll apply a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer. We keep mowing the grass as long as it’s growing, but don’t lower the deck and shave it- it’s just not necessary. Raking leaves isn’t just a form of punishment, if left on the lawn they block the sun and trap in moisture, increasing the possibility of turf diseases. Leaves make a great insulator for your perennials, though maple leaves tend to become soggy and matted, so are better when bagged. Just place the bags right on top of your plants and in the spring you’ll have an easy clean up.

I still have spring bulbs to plant, and will keep planting until the ground is frozen. Since I’m always pressed for time, the most efficient way for me to complete anything is by multi-tasking. As I plant bulbs, I also clean up any daylilies, hosta and any annuals that I find along the way. I am often asked if you should remove them now or in the spring, and there really isn’t a steadfast rule, it’s more a matter of personal preference. I do it now because I’ll most likely step on an emerging tulip if I’m in the beds in the spring. It’s also more attractive as the snow melts if your beds aren’t full of wet, yellow, dead foliage.

I always leave my ornamental grasses up through the winter. They create winter interest and a haven for birds. As far as other perennials that die to the ground in the winter, sometimes I leave them up all winter and sometimes I don’t. Last year, at the urging of my husband, I cut back my two huge Annabelle Hydrangeas in the fall. Well, it left my front beds looking empty, which irritated me, so I left my holiday decorations out way too late and then couldn’t remove them until the ground thawed-lesson learned. I love the holidays, but come April, I don’t want to see snowmen or candy canes any more!

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