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In an earlier article, I wrote about things that need doing before you put your garden to bed for the winter. It includes some things that can start growing yet this fall, and included clean up before the ground freezes.

As I write this article, they predict normal temperatures for this time of year, and some rain. But if we don’t get enough moisture, it is important to keep watering young trees and shrubs as well as any plants you recently put into the garden. A little trick to help you know when to stop watering is to put a gallon jug of water outside. When it freezes and stays frozen you can stop worrying about having to water.

Don’t wrap young trees with paper or plastic tree wrap as it can trap moisture between the wrap and the bark. This causes mold or fungus to grow. Instead, use a loose wire mesh barrier around the lower trunk to keep those hungry rodents and rabbits from chewing on the tender bark. Wrapping burlap around the wire will help to protect the bark of young trees from sunscald and cracking.

It’s not a bad idea to prune the branches of trees that are hanging over the roofs of buildings, especially if the building has gutters. Now is a good time because the leaves have fallen off (don’t forget to clean the gutters) and the branches are lighter.

But remember, this is not the time to prune fruit trees. Wait for late February or March to do this task.

Most of the shrub roses planted in this area don’t need much care. However, if you planted non-hardy roses, bury them before the ground freezes.

This is known as the “Minnesota Tip;” Gently loosen the soil around most of the rose bush with a garden fork. Then dig a trench from the base of the rosebush equal to its height. Bind the canes together with a gentle twine (no plastic rope!), apply a fungicide, then bend the roots gently and push the bush gently into the trench. Cover it with three inches of soil and 18 inches of mulch. Covering them with bags of leaves work very well. The leaves will not get soggy and mat down and they are easy to remove and add to the compost pile in the spring.

If you are just going to cover them, prune the canes back to 12 inches. Apply a mound of soil or compost 10-12 inches deep over the crown. Then surround the bushes with a cage of something like chickenwire or hardware cloth and fill it with about three feet of leaves or hay. Don’t cover the bushes with plastic or other waterproof material.

There may still be time to cook up some compost this fall or get a good start on next spring’s compost. Stir in some of those brown leaves and green grass together with healthy garden debris. Don’t put in any diseased plants, bag those and dispose of them separately.

I use shredded grass and leaves in my garden to keep those fall weeds from sprouting. I also have lots of shredded grass and leaves around my perennial shrubs and the strawberries. I don’t put it on until the ground is frozen or unless a big storm is predicted, although you can add mulch on top of the snow.

Remember, mulch is not to keep the cold in, but rather to keep the changing temperatures out, to stop the thaw/freeze cycle. Many perennial plants that don’t survive were the victims of “heaving?” This is when the freeze/thaw cycle pushes the roots of the plant up to the surface and the wind dries them out. I use leaves and grass, because that’s what I have for free! They say straw is better, if you have it, because the air holes in the straw help to keep it from getting compacted.

If you have heritage raspberries, and want only a fall crop, cut them about four inches from the ground, AFTER it freezes up.

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