A Beginners Guide to Plant Disease

Plant diseases are caused by organisms such as fungi, bacteria and viruses. While disease-resistant plant strains are available for almost any species of plant today, plant diseases still occur in even the best gardens. Once plant infections become well established, they can be extremely difficult to control, so it is wise to monitor your plants frequently for signs of problems.

Removing a section of a plant or sometimes even the entire plant may be necessary to keep diseases in check. If the entire plant must go, gardeners should also replace the topsoil as it may be infected as well.

Here are a few common plant diseases and the methods used to treat them:

Blackspot: This is a common fungus that can be easily identified by the pale and dark spots it causes on plant leaves. Remove the affected leaves and burn them, taking care to include affected leaves that have already fallen to the ground. This problem is especially common in rose plants. Spray roses in early spring with a fungicide or with sulphur and mulch the ground around the rose plants. Organic solution for blackspot: In a spray bottle, mix 50% fat free milk and 50% water and spray the affected plants every day faithfully.

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Garden Tip...

All plants will not flourish in the common temperature of a living-room; some require a low temperature, and others need a warmer one. The following plants require a temperature of from 70° to 80° in the day-time, and 55° to 60° at night Begonias, Coleuses, Calceolarias, Bouvardias, Ferns (tropical), Hibiscuses, Poinsettias, Tuberoses, Heliotropes, Crotons, Hoyas, Cactuses, all kinds, Caladiums, Cannas, Palms, Orange and Lemon Trees, Geraniums, etc.
~ James Sheehan
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Mildew: Brought on by lack of sufficient water or nutrients, mildew appears as a grayish white powdery substance on plant leaves an buds. Spray plants with fungicide or sulphur at first signs of attack. Organic solution for mildew: You can make an organic, home made spray from garlic, which contains high levels of sulfur. Crush several cloves of garlic in water and apply to plants.

Rust: Caused by mild and overly wet summers, rust creates orange nubs on the undersides of plant leaves and can precipitate premature defoliation. Use a fungicide that contains myclobutanil to get rid of this. Organic solution for rust: Try making a homemade spray solution with 3 parts Chamomile and 1 part water. You may also find success with a mixture of chives, horseradish, elder and Casuarina leaves in a water bottle.

Gray Mold: This looks like gray fuzzy stuff growing on leaves. Gray mold can cause plants to discolor rapidly and to deteriorate. It affects perennials, annuals, trees shrubs, fruits, vegetables and indoor plants, especially those plants that have soft leaves. Get rid of it with a product that contains benomyl, thiophanate-methyl or carbendazim. Organic solution to gray mold: Although there are not many make-at-home remedies that effectively kill this disease, look for copper based organic fungicide at your gardening shop and apply weekly, during the cool, Spring weather.

Treating your plants with fungicide must be done judiciously and safely, otherwise there is a risk that the offending organism will become immune to the cure. Contact fungicides may kill spores and stop a fungus from spreading, but they are useless against established infections, which is why monitoring the health of your garden plants is so important.

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Garden Tip...

This question is frequently asked! Do you recommend the use of artificial fertilizers for house plants, and does it benefit them? I invariably answer yes, if used judiciously. The use of good special fertilizers will help the growth of some kinds of plants, which, without such aid, would scarcely meet our expectations. The term artificial fertilizers, applies to all manurial applications, save those produced by domestic animals.
~ James Sheehan
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Don?t spray treatments on plants in full sun. Additional measures for plant-disease control include keeping weeds down (weeds can harbor pests that can infect your plants) and give each plant enough space so that it isn?t competing for water, air and nutrients. Finally, make sure to disinfect gardening equipment after treating for disease.

Do some research so you are aware of which plant diseases or fungi are prevalent in your area and then find out the best ways to get rid of the disease. Of course, in any situation natural and organic solutions are always best. Sometimes, depending on the severity of the plant disease, this may just not be possible and you could risk loosing your entire garden if you don?t take immediate action.

Water Gardening in a Small City Yard

Love water gardens but think you can?t have one in a small city lot? Think again! Some of the most charming water gardens are found in containers that don?t need much space at all.

Water lilies and water hyacinths grow just as well in a container as they do in large pools and ponds. Water plants do best when they receive five full hours of sun every day and shade in the late afternoons when the sun is most intense. Remember, though, that placing a container water garden under a deciduous tree will require protecting the container from falling leaves that can clog pumps and harm fish or plants during the autumn months.

Here are a few tips to help you get your water garden stared and established:

Easy access to your water supply is important, especially as the water level needs to be periodically replenished due to evaporation to keep the water level constant and plants healthy. If your water is chlorinated, let it sit in the container for at least 48 hours to allow the chlorine to evaporate. Some cities use a more stable form of chlorine called chloramines; if this is true where you live, you will need to purchase a product designed to remove chloramines from a water garden supply store. You can use water for replenishing water stores without first removing the chlorine or chloramine, however.

Don?t be afraid to use a little imagination when designing and creating your water garden in the city. There is no reason that you cannot have your little piece of heaven with the serene sound of flowing water in your urban garden.

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Garden Tip...

Always water your plants in winter time with lukewarm water, if you would have a profusion of flowers, and thrifty-growing plants. The water should be of the same temperature as the room or place where the plants are. There is no theory about it, it is a practical fact.
~ James Sheehan
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Creating Private Garden Spaces

Creating a private garden space is a lot of fun to do, but it also provides you with years of enjoyment after the fact too. Sometimes called garden rooms, or outdoor rooms, a private garden space is made to be private. A sanctuary you can retreat to anytime you’d like, to enjoy nature, smell the beautiful flowers growing, and simply destress from the everyday hustle and bustle of life.

When planning your private garden, the general goal is usually to create a quiet place to retreat from the world. This garden doesn’t have to be fully private, but it does have a much more calming effect when it’s at least semi-private. So consider the location of your garden before starting to create it. If you must place the garden near busy or noisy areas such as close to the street, there are tactics you can use in your planning and design which will help dampen the noise and distractions. If possible though, you’ll get the best results from a private garden space by creating it away from everyday noise and activity.

Private garden spaces usually tend to be on the small side, and many people turn small backyard patios or gazebos into their private garden space. The garden can be as large as you’d like though, depending on your own personal preferences and budget restrictions.

One of the first things you’ll need to plan for is what kind of barrier you’ll use for your garden. One of the reasons a private garden space is often referred to as a garden room, is because many people like to create living walls for their garden area. And these walls make the space seem more like an outdoor room because the garden space is more enclosed. If you prefer not to have your garden enclosed too much though, you can simply create an entranceway to your private garden space using an arbor or arch.

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Garden Tip...

There are many different species and varieties of Lilies, but none approach those known as Japan Lilies in the beauty and variety of their flowers, and their exquisite fragrance. They are perfectly hardy, and the fall is the proper time to plant them. If good strong bulbs are set out in the ground in October or November, planted about eight inches deep, they will throw up strong shoots the following summer, and bloom freely. The flowers increase in size and beauty with the age of the bulb, and this should be left to grow undisturbed in the same spot for five or six years; afterwards, if desired, the bulbs can be dug up, the offshoots removed, and the old bulbs reset, and they will do better than ever. Any of the young bulbs that have been removed can be planted out in the ground, and in a few years will form good blooming bulbs. The time to perform this work is in the fall.
~ James Sheehan
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Living walls can be made by simply putting up inexpensive materials such as a chain link fence or wooden trellis, and using fast growing flower vines. Flower vines can easily be trained to grow up and over fences, trellis materials and arches too, and as these vines mature they create a thick living wall which separates your garden area from the rest of the world. These vines also tend to sheild the area from everyday noise and activity, plus they help to make the garden space cooler than the rest of the yard area may be as well.

An alternative way to create your private garden space quickly, is to simply buy flower pots and containers in a variety of sizes, then buy plants which have already started to grow. Arrange your flower boxes, pots and containers around the perimeter of the garden space, then plant the new flowers into them. If you choose flower pots and containers which have varying sizes and heights, you’ll be able to strategically place them in locations which will block out everyday activities from your main line of sight. This type of private garden space won’t always block out much noise though, so it’s best located in a more secluded area of the yard.

Companion Planting

Companion planting is an excellent, all natural way to help control pests and problems in your garden. When it’s used in vegetable gardens, companion planting can also help enhance the flavors of various vegetables while they’re growing too.

This is a very easy to use organic gardening method too. All you do is plant companion plants near each other, or in the same bed, and you’ll derrive a variety of benefits from their close growing proximity.

In some cases a companion plant will primarily act as a natural bug and pest repellant. Some will also help prevent common diseases and other frequent gardening problems too. Some companion plants however, will actually act as a natural fertilizer for the plants they’re growing close to, because they add things to the soil which the other plants need and use. Last but not least, companion planting is used to help enhance or change the flavors of certain plants.

Companion planting can be done wrong too of course. If you end up planting certain flowers or vegetables too close together, you could actually end up with many more problems than normal. And you can end up with really bad or wrong tasting produce as well.

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Garden Tip...

Perhaps the best soil for general potting purposes, and the kind most extensively used by florists, is a mixture of equal parts of decayed sods, and well-rotted stable manure, and occasionally, especially if the sod is clayey, a little sand is added.
~ James Sheehan
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To improve or change the taste of your tomato plants for instance, you might try planting chives or basil near them. Not only will you notice a taste difference, but you’ll find that the chives help keep aphids off the tomato plants, so you may see a much better harvest from them as well.

If you plant cabbage too close to the tomatoes though, you may find yourself with very weak or non productive tomato plants. They may not grow well at all, or they may provide you with very little produce to harvest in the end.

Planting cabbage, potatoes, dill, and onions all close together however, will help all four of these plants grow well and provide you with a bountiful harvest at the end of the growing season.

Some plants and herbs are general purpose companion plants too. Marigolds for instance, and herbs such as lemon balm are effective at repelling common pests in the yard and garden. Garlic is another wonderful herb to use as a natural pest repellant, but you may not want to plant it as a companion around some of your vegetables. It can for instance, make your tomatoes taste wrong.

Deer Resistant Plants

Having a garden can sometimes be a frustrating endeavor, especially for those of you who have chosen to live away from the big city and bright lights. Gardening in suburbia has its own set of unique problems including plant eating animals, namely deer. Nothing is more frustrating than the anticipation of your rose bush blooming and the next morning finding a decapitated flowerless plant. Yes, lovable Bambi really likes your plants, all of them. And unless you enjoy having to replant your garden every day, you should choose plants which deer do not find irresistible ? no, not cactus. There are beautiful plants and flowers available that those pesky critters won?t eat.

One thing you need to remember, these are deer resistant plants not deer proof and there is a reason why the term ?deer resistant? is used. Deer eat plants, period. Some plants are less tasty than others, but depending upon your current area conditions (drought, deer population, abundance of undeveloped land, and entrapment), even the least appetizing foliage will be eaten. So do not expect these plants to always ward off your antlered friends forever. But as long as there is available water, abundant native foliage and a low deer population, the following plants will remain a part of your garden and landscaping:

Sages (Salvia, Meadow, Russian, Jerusalem)

Lavender
Daffodils
Poppy
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Garden Tip...

The proper regulation of the atmosphere as to moisture and temperature, is one of the most important points to be observed in cultivating plants in the parlor, or window-garden. Plants will not flourish, bloom, and be healthy, in a dry, dusty atmosphere, even though the best of care otherwise may be bestowed upon them.
~ James Sheehan
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Peony
Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano (make a mini herb garden too)
Ornamental Grasses (any variety)
Bleeding Hearts
Narcissus
Foxglove
Daphne
Boxwood
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Garden Tip...

In planting tree roses received from the nursery or elsewhere, be sure and set them deep; the stem, for six or eight inches above the collar, should be under ground. If wet moss be tied about the stem and head of the tree after it has been planted, and the moss kept wet for a week or two after planting, or until the buds begin to start, it will, in nine cases out of ten, save the tree. The moss maybe removed after the growth begins. If planted in the fall, the body and top should be well wrapped up in straw.
~ James Sheehan
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Butterfly bush
Siberian Iris
Mint (all types, this is an invasive plant though, so be careful how and where you plant it)
Bayberry
Calla Lily (wide array of colors, perennial)
Buttercups
Carnations (wonderful perennial that requires little effort to grow, very fragrant)
Crape Myrtle (depending upon how you trim it, it can be a bush or a tree)
Ferns (New York, Sensitive, Wood, Holly)
English Ivy (be careful with ivy plants because they can quickly become invasive)
Azaleas
Hydrangeas
Marigolds (not everyone likes the smell of these)
Periwinkle
Dogwoods, Maples, Spruces, Pines, Cedar trees
Yucca
Lantana

This is only a partial list as there are literally hundreds of plants which are deer resistant and all of which would make any garden or landscaping quite beautiful. Another good thing is these plants do well in close quarters and will overlap without overtaking their neighbors. Most all deer resistant plants are compatible with everything and quite often require far less upkeep as compared to other more traditional and eatable landscaping foliage.

Planting Design

At first glance you may think this is about landscaping and to a certain extent it is, but planting design is more about the arrangement, the species selection and achieving an overall botanical harmony rather than changing the layout of your lawn. Sounds complicated but in reality it is quite simple. Planting design is all about creating a synergy, if you will, between you and the garden. Gone are the days of going to the local nursery or store and buying a few plants that look cute. Think about it, how often did that impulse plant purchase live? Chances are not too long or they caused the destruction of some other plants you had. It is important and strategic to have a planting design so you can achieve the look and coverage you desire.

You must always remember that you are dealing with a three dimensional area when creating a planting design, so not only are you trying to cover an area but also the depth and width as well. So not only does size play a role but also does how wide the plants will become as well as how thick. And we are talking in the adult or grown stage, not at the purchase stage. You need to factor in growth when choosing your plants plus you need to consider compatibility. Whether you know it or not, many plants are not able to coexist with others and can cause problems later in the age of the garden. A tree that grows too quickly or not quick enough can and will affect the health of your other plants. Some plants are even caustic to others and you should always check the compatibility of all the plants being considered.

In essence, you need to be part horticulturalist, architect and artist in order to effectively and correctly make a planting design. In most instances it may be best to consider hiring a person trained or certified as a plant designer or plantscapist. Or if you are up for the challenge, you may want to consider researching plant designing, your local climate guides, the sunlight factor of the area for the garden, plants that grow well together and the exact rate and size your plant choices will reach. It isn?t that you need a lot of experience or training, just the time and desire to learn.

So whether you hire a trained plant designer or try it yourself, it would be a good idea to keep a copy of your planting design with you so when you feel that impulsive urge to buy a few cute plants you will know if you should.

Water features in the garden

One of the easiest ways to improve the look and feel of almost any type of garden, is to simply add a water feature to it. Water features come in a variety of different forms and sizes, and since they add a sense of serenity to a garden too, they’re wonderful to put close to sitting areas, or within private garden spaces.

Water features also draw birds, bees, frogs and other critters to the garden, and these can help you control pests on your plants and flowers naturally. Which type of water feature you put into your own gardens is a personal choice, so here we’ll look at the most popular options.

1. Simple Bird Baths - A bird bath can be a simple shallow bowl filled with water, and set out into your garden area. Bird baths do a wonderful job of attracting birds, and you’ll have fun watching them play and bathe. Bird baths can be sat onto the ground itself, but this makes it dangerous for the birds because cats can reach them easier. The best way to have a bird bath in your garden is to put it on a matching pedestal, and make sure it’s several feet away from any tall bushes or shrubbery that cats may easily hide in.

2. Water Fountains - Water fountains are one of the most enjoyable water elements to place in a garden, because the sound of moving water has a calmin and soothing effect on most people. That sound also has a white noise effect, which serves to help block out everyday noise from neighbors or street traffic. Water fountains can be stand alone elements you place in the center of your yard or nestle into a pretty perennial border garden. Water fountains also come as wall fountains, so they can be mounted near a garden bed or patio area instead.

4. Water falls - Water falls are another way to add water movement and sound to your garden, and they tend to work particularly well with garden ponds too. By keeping the water moving, you have all the benefits and pleasure of a water fountain, and they help keep your pond water clean and clear too. Wildlife usually prefers moving water as well, so a waterfall tends to attract many more birds and beneficial animals to your garden area.

5. Brooks and Streams - These work wonderfully in certain types of yards, but they can be difficult to create in others. If you have an existing area in your yard where water tends to run off naturally from the roof and rain gutters, then that may be the ideal place to put a small rock river bed. Then each time it rains, you’ll have a little bubbling brook running through your garden.
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Garden Tip...

It is so easy to mow the lawn with the light-running modern lawn-mower, that many fine lawns are injured by too frequent mowings. We should not follow any set time for mowing, but be governed by the growth of the grass and the weather. When hot weather approaches, the grass should be cut less often, for too close cutting will expose the roots, and if the weather be dry and hot for a considerable period, the grass as a consequence will wither prematurely.
~ James Sheehan
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]]> http://gardenfingers.com/gardening-topics-2/water-gardening/water-features-in-the-garden-2/feed/ http://gardenfingers.com/gardening-topics-2/pests/deer-resistant-plants-planning-a-garden-that-lasts/ http://gardenfingers.com/gardening-topics-2/pests/deer-resistant-plants-planning-a-garden-that-lasts/#comments Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:26:00 +0000 Greeny http://gardenfingers.com/gardening-topics-2/pests/deer-resistant-plants-planning-a-garden-that-lasts/

Deer Resistant Plants: Planning a Garden that Lasts

Deer are graceful and elegant creatures aren?t they? The way they leap elegantly, and the soft expression in their eyes takes you back to when you first saw the Disney movie ?Bambi? when you were a child. However, deer are also gourmet diners, nibbling everything from fragrant herbs and grasses to the roses in your garden, the one you worked so hard to plant!

Unfortunately, this problem is becoming worse as housing developments keep being built farther out into deer habitat and as deer keep multiplying rapidly from lack of natural predators to keep herd sizes in check.

Gardeners who live in areas with deer can testify to the relatively uselessness of deer fencing, which was allegedly designed to be deer proof and which only fence salesmen. Essentially, unless you build it 10 feet high, a height that is banned in many communities with home ordinances, it is not the solution. Deer do their worst garden damage from late fall through early spring, and that damage is most severe during very cold winters when snow covers the ground for long periods of time, increasing the difficulty for deer in search of ready consumables.

A workable and aesthetically pleasing solution is landscaping using deer resistant plants.? There are several reasons a plant can be deer resistant.? Many deer resistant plants are poisonous at some point during their growth, and some are poisonous throughout their lives.? Before you begin landscaping, research the deer palatability of the trees, shrubs and plants you want to use. Do remember that while no plant is 100% deer resistant, some 600 plants have been researched and found to be unattractive to deer.

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Garden Tip...

The Calla Lily, or "The Lily of the Nile," is an old and popular favorite, and is found in window-garden collections everywhere. It is a native of the tropics, where it is said it grows to an enormous size; a single flower often measuring one to two feet in diameter. The Calla will attain its highest perfection if planted in a rich, mucky soil, obtained from a swamp or bog. It also requires an abundance of water during the growing season. Callas, like all other bulbous plants, must have a season of rest. If required to bloom during the winter or spring months, they must be rested in the summer season, if this is not done we must not expect to have any success in flowering them. The blooming season can be reversed if desired, by resting in winter. Without allowing them at least three months of rest, it is useless to expect to flower them successfully. By "resting," we mean to withhold water, and allow the leaves and stalks to die down completely to the bulb. Then turn the pot on its side under a tree or grape-arbor, and let the soil dry up completely; this will kill the stalk but not injure the bulb.
~ James Sheehan
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Obviously, the scope of this article doesn?t allow for listing them all, but a quick search of the Internet will provide research studies that list all of these. To help you get started, here?s a very general rundown on deer resistant planting:

No trees have been found to be sufficiently deer resistant to leave unprotected during their early growing stages; however, ?caging? your young trees until branches grow beyond deer reach works very well.

In the smaller trees and large shrubs category, Agarita, Cotoneaster, Dwarf Yaupon, oleander, rosemary, and cactu discourage deer predation, as do Carolina Jessamine and grey Santolina.

Flowers deer don?t much like include Dusty Miller, daffodils, Mealy blue sage and Mexican mint marigold. All of these are good choices.

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Garden Tip...

In summer, watering in the cool of the evening will be followed by the best results, for it will give the plants time to take up and assimilate the moisture necessary to their life, and being completely charged with water, they will be prepared for the hot sun and drying winds of the following day.
~ James Sheehan
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For many gardeners, the key is to find a happy medium. Seeing the deer grazing in our yards early in the morning is a true pleasure. Wildlife and gardening just naturally go hand in hand. For some, the solution is to have a large wild garden patch that is offered up as food for the deer while using deer resistant plants and foliage in the bulk of the garden. Just be careful not to be too inviting or your landscape will be overwrought with deer and there won?t be much of a landscape left to garden.

Ten Ways to Get your Kids Involved in Gardening This Year

Gardening is work, no doubt about it. But it?s also fun, and can also be a way for the entire family to enjoy a hobby when children as well as parents become involved. Gardening is also a great way to teach your little ones about responsibly caring for other living things and increase their appreciation for our wonderful natural world.

To help you get started, here are 10 ways to get your children interested in taking up gardening, getting them actively involved and help them to become true little gardeners:

Buy them their own gardening tools. The more colorful, smaller tools make it easier for youngsters to spend quality time gardening with parents, grandparents or older siblings. Be sure to buy a small wheelbarrow and a good pair of gardening gloves for little hands as well. Wal-Mart carries kiddy sized gardening tools in complete sets for under $20.

Take them along when you shop for seeds and plants at nurseries and garden centers. Use the time to explain the different kinds of plants and involve them in making the final selections for your garden.

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Garden Tip...

The proper regulation of the atmosphere as to moisture and temperature, is one of the most important points to be observed in cultivating plants in the parlor, or window-garden. Plants will not flourish, bloom, and be healthy, in a dry, dusty atmosphere, even though the best of care otherwise may be bestowed upon them.
~ James Sheehan
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Once home, give them their own small garden patch to care for. Help them get started in cultivating it and oversee planting. Explain how often their gardens will need to be weeded, watered, fertilized and so on and schedule times when you can be present or nearby for performing these chores.

Buy them an age-appropriate illustrated book about gardening so that they can learn about plants when they need something to do indoors. Barnes and Noble carry a few awesome popup books that your kids may love.

Set specific times for family gardening?perhaps early evening and a weekend morning?and adhere to this schedule religiously to promote garden togetherness. Children will enjoy gardening more when it becomes part of their routines, and having specific times gives them something to look forward to on a regular basis.

Let the kids make picture stakes to place beside each row of vegetable or flowering plants so they?ll know what to expect as plants mature.

Buy a blank calendar and have children decorate it with pictures of plants in their gardens. Add notes about when their plants were planted, when they need to be watered, fertilized and weeded and when they should mature on the appropriate days.

Suggest ways that children can turn plant harvests into gifts for friends and other family members, such as drying fruits and vegetables for winter use.

Think of games you can play while gardening such as who can pull the most weeds in the least amount of time, and give small prizes for winning.

Finally, make certain to give plenty of praise and encouragement to young gardeners. Make gardening an activity to be enjoyed, not one to dread!

Gardening Tasks For The Fall Season

September is already upon us and in many parts of the United States, it’s now time to start our fall gardening chores. For some of us there is a lot to do in a very short period of time, because the first frosts are just a few weeks away. Other parts of the country may have another one to three months before the cold snaps hit, but getting started now will give you time to get everything done without rushing.

Not everyone will have the same gardening tasks in the fall, but we’ll look at some of the basics and you can decide which ones apply to your personal gardening needs.

1. Collect Seeds. If you haven’t done so yet, try to collect some seeds from your favorite plants of this year. Collecting seeds is especially useful if you grow a lot of annual flowers, and you think you may want to grow the same ones again next year. In most cases if an annual flower or vine generates seeds, then those seeds will drop to the ground on their own and germinate over the long winter, only to sprout new plants in the same location next year. If you think you may not want them in the same location though, then try to collect all of the seeds before they’ve dropped to the ground.

2. Prune bushes. Many types of bushes winter best if they’re pruned well before the cold weather sets in. Some will need to be pruned almost to the ground, while others will simply need a slight trim. Still others may not need to be pruned until the middle of winter. If you’re not sure which pruning time is best for your own bushes, then log online and do a bit of research before it gets too cold.

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Garden Tip...

There are a great variety of opinions as regards the most effective way of planting flower-beds. Some prefer to mix plants of different colors and varieties, others prefer the ribbon-style of planting, now so generally in use in Europe. If the promiscuous style is adopted, care should be taken to dispose the plants in the beds, so that the tallest will be at the back of the bed; if the leader is against a wall or background of shrubbery, the others should graduate to the front, according to the hight. In open beds, on the lawn, the tallest plants should be in the centre, the others grading down to the front, on all sides, interspersing the colors so as to form the most effective contrast in shades.
~ James Vick
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3. Renew your mulch. All of your bushes and perennial flower beds should be mulched well for the winter. If you use mineral or synthetic mulch materials, you may not need to do anything but be sure they’re in good condition. Organic mulch material should be added to though, to ensure the layer is thick and to help replace any that may have decomposed already. Mulching is important to help protect the roots of your plants and bushes from the cold, so they’ll be able to sprout up again next spring.

4. Turn your flower beds. If you have annual flower beds, or you’re planning to plant new flower beds next spring, now is a great time to turn the soil and add organic material to them. The organic material will have all winter to break down and decompose, so by next spring the soil will be very rich and fertile for your new plants.

5. Clean and store your garden tools. You won’t need your garden tools much through the winter, so now is an excellent time to clean, repair if needed, and store them securely.

Last but not least: Get your gardening journal out and keep it on hand. It will be a welcome friend to you during the cold winter nights when you’re unable to garden.