Last Call for Fall: Northeast Gardening Chores
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| Photo Credit: Donna W. Moramarco |
| After a killing frost has blackened the foliage, it’s time to dig and store all tender bulbs. |
You know the old saying, “you snooze, you lose!” Well, there’ll be plenty of time for snoozing during the winter months ahead. Right now there’s still work to be done in our Northeast gardens. But you had better hurry – because for some chores, it’s “last call” time!
- Finish all plantings of spring-flowering bulbs now! Daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, crocus all need to “set roots” before the ground freezes. Add some bone meal or bulb fertilizer to the soil at the time of planting.
- Dig and store all tender bulbs like dahlias, cannas and elephant ears after they’ve been hit by a killing frost. Here’s quick how-to: Once the foliage has been blackened by a frost, carefully dig (use a digging fork for best results) and lift the bulb out of the ground. Use a hose to wash off any soil and place the bulb in the sun for several days. (Some people refer to this process as “curing.”) It’s then time to store the bulbs for winter. Use flats or crates and fill with some peat moss, perlite, vermiculite or sawdust. Place the bulbs in the flat and cover with some additional material. Store your bulbs in a cool, frost-free location like a crawl space or basement. It’s wise to check them periodically over the winter and look for signs of rotting or shriveling.
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| Warnings |
- I caught you snoozing with some of your early fall chores! Hey, it happens, but now it’s too late in the season to do certain tasks: Don’t seed a new lawn (save that chore for next April), don’t sow cool-season vegetables like radishes and lettuce peas, don’t transplant evergreens, and don’t divide iris and peonies.
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| Tips |
- Donate any additional fresh produce to a local food pantry or soup kitchen. They’ll be grateful for the donation!
- Avoid fertilizing houseplants in winter, when the days are shorter and available natural light is less. The time to begin feeding again will be in late February. So for the next few months, let your plants have a bit of a needed winter respite.
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