Garden Myths - Fall Cleanup

Get your garden ready for winter with these tips. Is there an easier way out there to prepare your garden for winter? Let's take a look. 

Mythical advice #1: Control the weeds in the fall. Why exactly?

Weeds can be identified either as perennials or annuals. Annual means one year only. It doesn't come back just like the impatiens and petunias and marigolds. Weeds, according to experts, may self-seed or they may be brought into the garden by birds, 4-legged animals or by sticking to your clothing as you walk by. Examples of annual weeds include: bindweed, chickweed, crab grass, knotweed, lambs-quarters, mallow, pigweed, purple dead nettle, purslane, speedwell, spurge and yellow oxalis. If you can identify which is which, consider yourself very intelligent indeed. Weeds don't care if you know their names or not. If they're not coming back because, hey, they are annuals and you have absolutely no control, zilch, whether they are brought into the garden by bird, plane, automobile or Bambi, then why in heaven’s name would you be wasting your time pulling them in the fall? Just a thought.

Examples of perennial weeds include: bindweed, burdock, dandelion, dock, ground ivy, horsetail, Japanese knotweed, plantain, poison ivy, purslane, quackgrass, thistle, ragweed.The advice is to rid these from your garden in the fall. A tip comes with this advice: Perennial weeds pull out most easily in the early spring, when the ground has recently thawed. My advice: Why then are we bothering to pull weeds in the fall?

Mythical advice #2: Rake leaves. Stomp and crunch them up and use as mulch.

I have for many years now decided to forgo raking. Don't ask why. I wanted to bake a cake instead. Experts are worried about insect diseases. However, this is a controversial topic. Some say don't rake, some say yes, rake. I don't. I have a lot of trees and I have gardens both shade and sun. Leaves blow around, falling on top of plants and in between. Amazing! No harboring of insects and diseases observed. I wouldn't know what an insect disease looked like if I saw one. In the spring, daffodils shot right through the piles of those unraked leaves--the ones experts remind us harbor terrible diseases. Additionally, the hostas, (see below) baptista, bluebells, lungwort, ferns, all popped up. When finished leafing out, the unraked leaves which dropped in the fall were invisible. I have not had a plant that didn't come back because of a rotten leaf lying next to it. 

Mythical advice #3- toss up: Cut plants back.

It's good to cut back plants in the fall if for no other reason than it makes one less thing to get over with in the spring. But it's not mandatory. Some birds feed off seed pods, and when snow falls, there is nothing more beautiful than glistening snowflakes adorning the stalks. It's structurally lovely. So I cut back some and leave some.

Mythical advice #4: Clean garden tools.  

Expert's advice: "Before you store your lawn mower at the back of the shed, it is well worth sending it for a service to ensure that it is in perfect condition when you need it next spring. Shears and secateurs need sharpening - you can do this yourself or send them away if you prefer. Spades, forks and other tools will benefit from a good wash. Dry them thoroughly and oil the metal parts to prevent rust. Wooden handles can be cleaned and protected with linseed oil."

Oh please! When I want sharp sheers I buy a new pair. And if you think cleaning those spades and forks will benefit from a good wash: News flash! No plant, weed or compost pile cares if you have your utensils clean or not. By the way, a secateur means pruning shears. 

Best advice tip ever from a garden-enthusiast friend: "I am not doing a damn thing. My garden is an absolute disaster! I am starting all over come spring." Here here!

Leaves have disappeared - instant mulch - great for plants