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As I write this in the last days in October, we have had a killing frost for most vegetables, but not all. I don’t start harvesting brussel sprouts until after a hard freeze because it takes some of the bitterness out of them. Late apple varieties also sweeten up on the tree. The problem with leaving apples on the trees is we often pick the apples when we get time and help. Once the apples are picked they should be stored in a dark area at about 30 degrees. Many orchards store their apples in plastic bags to keep the moisture in the apples as it extends the shelf life. I can still remember helping my dad wrap each apple in newspaper and store them in the cellar. These were soft apples which my dad called windfall, but because we wrapped them they still lasted well into the winter.

I received a call this week from a flower gardener who needed to dig up her iris and never got time to plant them. She wondered if it was too late to plant them or if she should store them for the winter. I called another master gardener who felt they had the best chance for survival in the ground even if it is late.

Remember, if you are placing mulch around perennials to wait until after the ground is frozen. We are not trying to keep the plants from freezing but rather to keep them from thawing out too quickly come spring.

Another call I received this week was from a new flower gardener who wanted to know how to winter geraniums. Again, I contacted another master gardener for advice. She remembered her family keeping geranium plants for up to 15 years. They would cut the stems way back and take them out of the pots. Then they would wrap them individually in newspaper and put them in a cardboard box until spring. The secret was keeping them cool and dry in the basement. In the spring they would repot them in new potting soil, water and they were ready for another growing season. It worked for them so as the saying goes –– “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

We are still receiving calls on the control of Creeping Charlie. The best control is Weed Free Zone by Fertilome. This is broad leaf killer that can be applied yet this fall if the weather holds, otherwise apply next spring.

Lawns are still growing in the fall so mow as the grass needs it. It’s okay to mulch-mow leaves into the lawn; just don’t leave clumps of chopped leaves on the lawn surface. When you are done the lawn should look as if it has been raked. To get the leaves chopped finely enough to disappear, you’ll probably need to take a couple of passes at the leaves.

There is still time to plant containerized trees and shrubs, but it should be done as soon as possible. Mulch all woody plants with about three inches of mulch, but keep it away from the tender bark of newly planted trees. Water until the soil freezes up, especially for newly planted material. Also, now is the time to surround tender barked trees and shrubs with mesh hardware cloth. This is to deter voles and rabbits from girdling the bark or eating the branches.

I still get questions about pruning raspberry canes. For summer bearing canes it’s okay to prune out the dead canes because they are the ones that produced berries this past summer. I wait until spring to prune back next year’s canes. For my fall bearing Heritage, I wait until the ground is frozen before cutting them back to two to three inches from the ground. If you prune before the ground is frozen, you may pull up or disturb the roots.

It seems as if there is still plenty to do before we finally put our gardens to bed for the winter.

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