Landscape

        • Deeply water trees, perennials and shrubs before winter.

        • Rake and destroy leaves from trees that suffered diseases like anthracnose this year.

        • Erect burlap wind shields to protect tender broad-leaved evergreens such as boxwood, azalea and rhododendron from winter burn.

        • Turn off and drain outside water lines and store garden hoses for the winter.

        • Repair fences, trellises and other hardscape.

Flowers and vegetables

        • Add soil amendments, till and smooth the garden now if you want to start flowers and vegetables very early in the spring.

        • Till in three to four inches of soil conditioners like compost and aged manure into garden beds. Edge the beds and shape them into a slight mound.

        • Plant tulip, daffodil and hyacinth bulbs and crocus corms.

        • Clean rose bushes and soil surface around the plants well to remove leaves infested with black spot.

Indoors

        • Pick dried grasses, cat tails and hydrangea blooms for winter bouquets.

        • Grow cyclamen indoors — they will bloom all winter in a cool spot in bright, indirect sunlight.

Houseplants

        • Provide humidity for house plants once indoor heat goes on.

Eco tip

        Fall garden cleanup can drastically reduce the amount of disease and insect problems in the garden and landscape next year. Remove and destroy all diseased leaves and branches from trees, shrubs and perennials. Lightly till the soil in the garden to expose over-wintering insects.

       Source: Sue Trusty, director of education at the Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati, 221-0981.
       

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