Garden Topics:
Perennials
Perennials: Preparing For Winter
Fall Cleanup
By now, most of your planting and transplanting should be
finished but unplanted perennials still in pots are vulnerable
to freezing. Sink these pots into the compost pile or bring them
into a cool, dry place, such as a cold frame, garage, or cellar,
where the temperature does not go below freezing. Until the
ground freezes. water any plants you have moved or added to the
garden if there is not sufficient rainfall. Remove boards,
twigs, old pots, and other debris from the garden. Pull out
stakes and plant support rings and store them. Bring in all
decorative pots, statuary, and birdbaths that could crack during
the cold weather.
Herbaceous
perennial foliage dies back with the arrival of frost, although
plant roots continue to grow underground. Cut back blackened or
dried plant stems, leaving 4-6" stem lengths. These will trap
and hold leaf mulch so it is less likely to blow away with
winter winds. These visible stems also reduce the chance of
digging up or planting on top of these perennials in the spring.
Rake up fallen leaves that could mat together and prevent
moisture from soaking into the soil. To discourage over
wintering fungal spores and insect egg nests, remove remaining
summer plant matter. Pull weeds and plant spring bulbs among
perennials.
When the ground is frozen hard, spread a 6-inch layer of
chopped or shredded leaves over the perennial beds. Winter leaf
mulch will insulate the soil from extremes of the freeze/thaw
cycles that often heave newly planted perennials out of the
soil. Mulch also absorbs and retains moisture, keeps soil cool
in early spring so perennials do not prematurely emerge, and
discourages early weed growth.
The Winter Garden
Winter interest is not obtained just with conifers and
broadleaved evergreens. Many perennials can contribute texture,
form, and color to the winter garden. The seed heads of
coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and false sunflowers should not
be cut down as they bring a variety of birds to the garden to
eat the seeds of the flower cones. Ornamental grasses also
should be left standing.
Frost
or snow-covered grasses are a great garden aesthetic. Standing
grass blades prevent snow and ice from collecting on the plant’s
crown, which could cause plant injury or death. The dried sterns
and seed heads of yarrow and tall sedums are architectural
verticals in the winter garden.
Evergreen groundcover such as Lenten roses, arum, hardy
ferns, European ginger, ivy, and spurge create a textural garden
floor. Semi-evergreen coralbells and barrenworts have winter
foliage in shades of purple, rust, and gold that bring color to
the landscape. The silver foliage of wormwood, lamb’s ear, and
lavender mimics the frost cover of a winter morning.
As you settle in for a well-deserved winter’s rest and dream
of next year’s garden, think about adding some of these special
plants to your perennial beds.
1120 Roosevelt Rd. Pittsburgh, Pa. 15237 Ph.
412-364-8270
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