Autumn in the Treetops — A Seasonal Guide to Garden Care and Winter Prep

Autumn is in full swing, and we hope the rain is on its way in good quantities. After the holidays there are several main tasks facing the amateur (and serious) gardener to prepare the garden for winter:

Cleanup

Clear the garden of annual plants whose bloom has ended, and prepare the ground for bulbs, seeds or winter seedlings.

Fertilizing

Use various organic fertilizers (compost, humus, pellets). During October, as temperatures drop, you can switch to a winter fertilizer (Scotts, Ecogen, Multicote, etc.).

Pruning

On most garden trees you can prune side or downward-leaning branches, thin out dense crowns, and shorten the crown height of fast-growing young trees to let the trunk strengthen. Start removing branches that could become a hazard in winter storms (heavy branches over roofs, power lines, windows, etc.).

Irrigation

Reduce the amounts, keeping an eye on the weather. Lower temperatures mean less evaporation, so less watering is needed. Save water (and money)!