How to Do Fall Garden Clean Up

Fall garden clean up is essential to maintain a healthy garden year round. In the garden, winter is the time when insect larvae hibernates on spent plants. By cleaning up dead plants, spent flowers, and debris, you can effectively remove potential garden pests. Good fall garden clean up practices help the organic garden remain pest free and keep fungi, bacteria and viruses at bay too. Here's what you need to know to effectively cleanup the garden this fall and get it ready for its long winter nap.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Garden
• Wheel barrow
• Rake
• Pruners
• Garden gloves
• Mulch
• Shovel or pitch fork

1. Put on your garden gloves and assemble your tools: wheel barrow, shovel or pitchfork, and pruners. Pull up any dead annual flowers from the garden. Shake off the dirt. Place the dead plants in the wheelbarrow. When the wheelbarrow is full, dump them into the compost pile or place in bags for recycling.

2. Snip off the dead flower heads on perennials. Cut perennials down to the ground if the foliage is dead. Roses may be pruned at this time of year too. After pruning, spread a thick layer of mulch around the base of plants.

3. Rake up fallen leaves and debris. Place them in the wheelbarrow. When the wheelbarrow is full, add the fallen leaves to the compost pile or place them in bags for recycling.

4. Collect seeds from marigolds, zinnias, morning glories and other flowering plants that are easy to collect seed heads. For marigolds, simply grasp the dried seed pods between your fingers. Squeeze the seed pod and release the seeds into a clean container such as an old coffee can. Store in a cool, dry place and plant next spring for another brilliant year of flowers.

5. Remove concrete bird baths, concrete and terra cotta pots and garden ornaments. Hose them down and store them indoors for the winter. Concrete and terra cotta can freeze and crack during winter months.

6. Remove the outdoor hose and sprinklers and shake them out to remove the last drops of water. Neatly coil the hose and hang in the garage or shed. If space is at a premium, hammer a nail into the wall and use twine or rope to hang the coiled hose from the wall.

7. Inspect and clean all gardening tools. Store gardening tools indoors during the winter. Be sure to place gloves inside another container; they create an enticing place for insects and mice to spend the winter, so be sure to store them inside a closed container.

Tips & Warnings

• Now's the time to take advantage of fall plant sales at the garden center. You can continue to plant spring flowering bulbs until the ground freezes.
• Have pruning shears sharpened now so they are ready for spring.
• Wear gloves when doing fall clean up. They will protect hands from thorns, weeds, poison ivy and nasty creatures like black widow spiders.

Resources

• Yard and garden basics from Better Homes and Gardens
• Storey's Basic Book of Country Skills - great guide to garden care, lawn care, and much more.

[mikes197131]

on 11/19/2009 Nice article on How to Do Fall Garden Clean Up. 5*