Senior Connections SeniorConnections Oct 19

Getting ready to close up the garden? Putting your garden to bed for the winter With winter fast approaching it is time to say a sad farewell to your garden until next spring. Here are a few jobs to do that will help you to protect your plants from cold winter weather and give yourself a head start next spring. TREES AND SHRUBS The dead wood on trees and shrubs should be cut back during the fall. If this is done while there are still some leaves on the branches it will be easier to distinguish what needs pruning. Spread mulch at the base of your trees and shrubs to protect the roots, and if there is a chance that animals will gnaw at the bark, wrap the trunks with metal or plastic trellises or plas- tic tubes. Protect your trees and shrubs with burlap or geotex-tile wraps in November. If you want to trans- plant a tree, the best time for most species is when the leaves have started to change color. PERENNIALS AND ANNUALS Don’t be afraid to divide perennials or plant new varieties in the fall, depending on which hardiness zone you live in. The foliage of existing plants should be pruned and then the plants protected with a layer of mulch. Annuals will have to be brought inside in the fall if you want to keep them over the winter. This is also the time to take cuttings and collect the seeds of some of your favourite annuals for next spring. BULBS Many gardeners are never quite sure what to do with bulbs. In fact, some bulbs and tubers cannot be left in the garden over the winter and have to be lifted from the soil and stored inside in a dark, dry place until it is time to replant them. Fall is, however, the time to plant spring-ﬂ ower- ing bulbs. Don’t hesitate to ask your local garden centre staff for suggestions and tips on which bulbs will need this kind of care. Putting your garden to bed for the winter Trees, shrubs, perennials, an- nuals, and bulbsall need care as winter approaches. �� Senior Connections HJ.COM Senior �� Connections October 2019 11

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