Managing the late fall garden

By Melanie Mathieson
Gardening Guru

As we continue to enjoy above normal fall temperatures I have been getting numerous telephone calls from gardeners asking some questions because they want to continue gardening right up until the snow falls. I have summarized below some of the do’s and don’ts for this time of year regardless of the weather.
•Can I still prune my trees and shrubs?
No, trees and shrubs have to be pruned during the growing season. If you prune trees now while they are in dormancy you will leave the cut areas open to the environment throughout the winter raising the potential of infection from diseases or insects in the spring. A cut exposed all winter while the tree is in dormancy may also have a hard time healing itself once the growing season resumes. The only exception to this rule is if a branch is broken by snow or an ice storm during the winter months, you may properly prune back that branch in order to prevent further damage to the tree. This is the lesser of the two evils.
•Can I still plant fall bulbs in my garden?
Most garden books claim that you can plant fall bulbs right up until the ground freezes for the winter. While this is somewhat true it is not the ideal situation as fall bulbs in our growing zones should be planted as early in the fall as possible, in order for the bulb to develop and set roots before the ground freezes. This ensures winter survival and gives the bulb a jump start to growth in the spring. The later you plant your bulbs the higher the risk there is for the bulbs rotting in the ground and not surviving. Some bulbs do survive regardless but there are no guarantees. As an example I planted close to 100 daffodil varieties last fall in my new gardens in Thunder Bay. Of the 100 potential flowers I had less than 20 actually survive and bloom. While gardening last spring I periodically found a rotten mass while digging. I also lost all of my established daffodil bulbs that I had moved here from Fort Frances. What I am trying to illustrate is that sometimes even though you do things absolutely the right way, Mother Nature can still take over and do it her way.
Now I am not saying a definite no to planting bulbs this time of year. Check the package carefully before you buy to ensure there is no mould or rot evident. When you see bulbs on a last minute, dirt cheap, clearance in area stores these days, go ahead and take a chance as the monetary loss will be minimal if they don’t survive but the reward can be great if they do. Here’s another way you can take advantage of bargain prices with a potential for more success. Fall bulbs need a cold period before they will awaken and begin to grow. So if you purchase some bulbs this time of year you can do a few things:
•Plant the bulbs in pots and either put in your unheated garage or shed until spring, or outside in a sheltered area covered with a mulch product (leaves, straw etc.) and uncover in the spring when fear of frost is over and move to the location you want.
•Store in the crisper in your fridge all winter and plant in the spring when the ground has thawed or in pots in the spring and have the first flowers in town.
•Store in a pail covered by peat moss in your unheated garage/shed and then plant in spring when ground thaws or in pots in the spring and have the first flowers in town.
•Keep inside in fridge until ready to use to force bulbs indoors following instructions from a previous column.
No guarantees but can be fun experiments when the bulbs didn’t cost very much – Good Luck!
•Can I still cut back my perennials?
Yes you can still cut back the ones that you would have normally cut back in the fall. This year I still have some plants that haven’t turned brown and died back yet. I have left them as is, just to help the plant store any nutrients that may be left in the green parts. It is also okay to leave the plants as is and trim back in the spring. We have had an unusual fall so you may have to adjust accordingly.
•Can I still add fertilizer?
In the past I have sprinkled bone meal on the top of my soil this time of year. It really has no benefit directly on the plant at this time of year as the plant has gone dormant for the winter. But the fertilizer placed on top will seep into the soil when the snow melts into the ground in the spring and the roots of your plants will benefit then.
•Is it too late to add winter protection to my garden?
No, take advantage of these last few days and get out there and protect what you normally would. Apply your mulches, leaves, burlap wraps etc. This fall though you need to keep an eye out for any shrubs/ woody plants that look like their buds are going to sprout. As we had unseasonably warm weather in October and November some tree, shrubs and plants mistakenly thought that it was spring and their buds have begun to swell prematurely. I found some pussy willows about two weeks ago in the Thunder Bay area. These buds are definitely going to die this winter and there will be no leaves on these shrubs. When buds susceptible to opening prematurely are not protected from the winter elements they are most certainly going to die before spring. By adding extra mulch or burlap wrap around plants in this condition you may help to save those buds until spring. Again no guarantees here because this is an unusual situation and Mother Nature is always the one in control.
I hope you enjoyed a few tips on how to cope with an unusual fall season.