Get ready for next year ON THE GARDEN PATH
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CAROLYN HERRIOT
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ake leaves and debris from your When the fern-like asparagus folilawn. Check your tree ties; strong age yellows and dies, cut the asparawinds can uproot newly planted trees. gus down to an inch (2.5 cm) above Tie up cypress and cedar trees; heavy ground, then mulch; asparagus is snow can break or damage them. Also, a heavy feeder and relishes aged fasten climbing plants to supports to manure, compost or what-have-you. protect them against damage from Cut back stalks of Jerusalem artichokes. The tubers are sweeter after high winds. a few hard frosts and can be harvestYou can reduce the effects of wind and snow by a third by prun- ed from the garden throughout the ing hybrid tea and floribunda roses. winter. Strip the leaves from remaining The best way to prevent disease is canes, but don’t compost them; they to remove disease. Go through all the plants in the greenhouse and remove may harbour black spot, mildew or any mouldy plant parts. Keep checkrust spores. Bury them in the garden ing throughout the winter for infecinstead. tions. The damp, confined environRemove dead, damaged, diseased and spindly growth first from your ment of a greenhouse is a perfect breeding ground for fungal spores climbing and rambling roses. The aim and disease. Water is to maintain a greenhouse plants vigorous framework of healthy Cold snaps leave birds s p a r i n g l y a n d canes. Ramblers vulnerable, so keep bird preferably in the tend to be more morning so they v i g o r o u s t h a n feeders filled with nuts, don’t sit wet and climbers, so more seeds, fatty scraps and fruit. cold at night. wood may be If you have a removed. Prune pond, remove any side shoots back to three buds. To keep decaying plants and leaves to prevent your rose bushes healthy, rake fallen methane and hydrogen sulfide gas rose leaves and mulch underneath to build-up. These gases can be poisonous to fish. Cut back dying, marginal cover any spores. Keep on mulching, especially plants and remove fallen leaves from the water, before they sink and break newly planted trees, bushes and semidown, causing algae to bloom. hardy perennials. Tip: Avoid contact To protect fruit trees from dorbetween mulch and stems to prevent rotting. Save leaves from large trees, mant fungal diseases, spray all tree such as maples, oaks and chestnuts. A surfaces with a mixture of two tablespoons (30 ml) of wettable copper to covering of leaf mulch insulates roots, feeds the soil, helps retain moisture, a gallon of water. The wingless, female winter moth walks up fruit trees to lay improves soil structure and smothers her eggs on the branches; the resulting weed seeds. Protect container plants by mov- green caterpillars feed on spring foliing them closer to the house, under age. To keep winter moths off your the eaves or deck, a sheltered corner, fruit trees, tie grease bands around a cool greenhouse, or inside a brightly fruit tree trunks. Use one or two sixlit entranceway or garage. inch, removable wraps, such as burWhen the last crops of raspberries lap sacking tied around the tree with twine, and coat them with a sticky have been harvested, cut the woody product, such as Tanglefoot. fruited canes down to soil level. This Remember that cold snaps leave helps prevent pests and diseases from developing, and lets in light to pro- birds vulnerable, so keep bird feedmote new cane growth. Prune out ers filled with nuts, seeds, fatty scraps the fruited canes of blackberries and and fruit. hybrid berries, such as boysenberry, Pat yourself on the back. You have tayberry and loganberry. Finally, worked hard and performed miracles tie the remaining canes onto their in your garden this past year. It’s time supports to prevent winter damage. to look forward to a brand new gardening year, working in co-creation Prune grape vines while they are dormant; leave one or two strong with Mother Nature. From A Year on the Garden Path: buds on each stem. Young rosemary and bay trees – A 52-Week Organic Gardening Guide by Carolyn Herriot. $29.95, Earthfuture one or two years old – may not overwinter successfully, so keep them pro- Publications, Victoria, BC. Available at tected. Plant them out once the roots Banyen Books, Duthie Books or at (www. have fully developed. earthfuture.com/gardenpath). DECEMBER 2006
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