While the temperatures here in Markham are still above 20 degrees, it is inevitable that they are going to slowly (or rapidly) drop as we enter fall. Some of us rejoice, others of us cry. Either way, if you own a home in Markham, you may be wondering how to put your garden to bed, so it will be well-prepared for the delightful spring ahead next year.
The harvest
If you’ve got a vegetable garden, you are probably pretty excited about the bounty you’ve got in your garden right now. You’ll want to pick everything that is ready to be picked and once that’s done, the cleanup begins. If you want to be prepared for planting next year, you’ll want to collect and dry the seeds from what you’ve picked. If you have herbs and flowers, you may want to hang them upside for drying, so you’ll be able to use them all winter.
The frost
In a few weeks, you’ll probably wake up with that dreaded frost on your car. If you see this, that means most of your annuals have probably gotten their last wake-up call. You’ll want to pull them and put them in your compost bin. If any of your perennials have a fungal disease, you’ll also want to pull these and discard them as well.
Cut back
Before the frost, you’ll want to cut back any dead or diseased parts of your plants. After the first frost, check again and cut back more of the dead pieces. If you’ve got overgrown areas or areas with weeds, you’ll want to remove these now so they don’t become worse for spring.
Clean up
Any pots or containers that you’ve used should be emptied and cleaned to reduce cracking over the winter. If you have some special ones, you may want to put them away in a warmer area like the garage or basement over the winter. Get your hose and drain it completely, by holding it over a railing. Once it is dry and empty, roll it up and store it inside the shed or garage.
Planting
Now is the time to plant bulbs for overwintering. Garlic does amazing when it is planted in the fall and next summer you’ll be thanking yourself when you’ve got a huge bounty of it. Once your bulbs are planted, add some mulch to your beds. The leaves that you’ve inevitably raked from your lawn make fantastic mulch, which will provide your beds with the support they need to make it through the winter. You’ll need to chop or shred the leaves though, so that water can get through.
Birds
Getting a bird feeder is great for winter, as birds find food scarce. If you already have one, clean it and fill it and you’ll attract a huge array of birds to your yard over the winter.
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