Last Call for Fall: Midwest Gardening
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| Photo Credit: Mark A. Miller |
| Grab as much as you can from your garden before the first big freeze. |
The topic of weather is a perennial favorite among Midwesterners, and Mother Nature has certainly given us much to talk about in fall 2007! Record-breaking high temperatures of late September and early October changed into slightly lower-than-normal temps in mid-October. (And who knows what we’re in for come November.) Fall color is distinctly late here, but it will be coming – along with a number of tasks that we need to do if we want to save what produce and plants that we can, as well as prepare our gardens for the winter season. Here’s what’s left to be done:
- Harvest all the ripe produce you can. My garden is still producing tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, herbs and my fall crops of kale, Swiss shard and carrots. If yours is doing the same, you and I both need to be vigilant in harvesting like the wind before that first hard freeze hits.
- Clean the houseplants that you had brought outside for summer while they’re still outside. Look for and remove any pests, then bring your plants back in the house for their winter respite before the first freeze.
- After that first freeze of fall hits, cut off the stalks and foliage on tender bulbs, like cannas or dahlias, and compost them. Then dig up those bulbs and place them in a cool, dry location to overwinter.
| Add Photo to Journal |  | | Photo Credit: Mark A. Miller | | Compost your annuals, veggies and leaves for use in your garden soil next year. |
- Some plants that are used as annuals in the Midwest can be dug up and stored over winter, too. My grandmother always dug-up her geraniums (Pelargonium), then hung them upside down in her basement and occasionally misted them during the winter. (And they survived to live again the next year.)Compost your annuals and veggie plants after they freeze and wilt.
- Remove and store your stakes, garden furniture and any accessories if they benefit from being out of the harsh winter weather. (Terra-cotta pots crack and break for me if I leave them out.)
- If you have a water feature or a fountain, there’s a recognized ritual to preparing them for the winter. (Start said ritual.)
- Rake or collect your leaves and compost them as much as you can. There’s nothing like composted leaves for future soil amending!
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| Warnings |
- Fall may bring us tons of delicious apples, but keep them away from your vases of flowers. The ethylene gas produced by ripe apples also makes cutflowers fade more quickly!
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| Tips |
- Keep a garden journal to document your successes and failures. Record the timing of when certain plants bloomed and what looked great next to them, as well as suggestions for improvements and/or changes next season. This will prove to be invaluable information when planning for and creating your garden next year!
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Next Steps
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Articles
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Fall Into Bulb Mania
Yes, Old Man Winter is on his way. But before his icy grip takes hold, get out into your garden this fall and plant some spring-blooming bulbs. Do the work now, and you’ll be rewarded with a bevy of blooms later!
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Create Your Own Compost
Composting is a simple way to get maximum plants. Just find a good spot, add the right ingredients and mix! (Your garden will thank you for it.)
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Winter is for the Birds
Don’t cut off those dead-looking flowers just yet! The seed heads of these spent blooms are a natural food source for our feathered friends.
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