Fall garden cleanup

Lilysmom · ‎03-09-2010

Well, it’s that time of year. I have all of the gardens in the front and back yards done. I will be moving toward the lake this weekend. And if that’s not bad enough, leaves are next. I always appreciate a fresh clean start in the Spring so that motivates me to keep going.

Anyone else? LM

KentuckyWoman · ‎03-13-2010

I haven't started yet. It's still in the mid 80's here and my annuals are still blooming. I told my husband we have to get started next week. I am so tired of hot humid weather. I hope to get the beds in the front of the house cleaned out early next week. We have a huge red oak and a huge sugar maple in our backyard. The leaves haven't started to turn yet and won't until the end of October. We get one thing cleaned up and then the leaves drop. Fall cleanup won't end for us until mid November.

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

I do a little bit at a time, as plants start to look ragged. I did some last weekend, mainly clearing out the plumbago (which was infected with foliar nematodes and was quite leggy). Deer have also helped in the last week or two, munching on several hosta, potted impatiens, and a potted hibiscus. If it was earlier in the summer, I'd spray repellent but that stuff's not cheap, and what's the point anyway of doing it now.

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

It's still hot here, but we have been doing garden work for about two weeks. We had a beautiful 35ft blue spruce tree taken down because it was listing at 45 degrees. We have had so much rain and wind that the tree guy said it could be blown over.

I was hoping to have it bolted upright and try to save it, It it couldn't be done. We had a huge stump removed and now have a 18 foot circle of mud in the yard that we planted grass seed on in the front yard.

In addition, we had a 50 ft white pine removed at the corner of our property. It was huge and was spread out into three adjacent properties. It provided too much shade and heavy snow laid on the branches causing them to bend and some also broke....dangerous situation.

i have trimmed all of the shrubs and small trees and got everything tidy.

i still have to wrap burlap around some new shrubs. The deer seem to be attracted to them and have already eaten one of them so that it looks like a skeleton.

We are fortunate that we do not get leaves on our property and have to rake them. We have a corner lot and everything blows away from the house.

Last fall I planted over 300 bulbs that were supposed to bloom this spring....not one came up. So I am not planting anything this year.

I find garden work relaxing and enjoy the results.

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

@Lilysmom Let the quilting begin?

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

JustJazzmom · ‎03-09-2010

In September I trimmed evergreens. Last weekend I cut back the peonies & a dwarf goatsbeard.. I do the same as @ValuSkr does, as plants start to look ragged, I cut them back. This weekend, if I have time, I will start cutting back roses. I noticed today some roses put out blooms in cooler weather but don’t do much in the heat. Madame Anisette now has a few buds — it’s also about close to 7’ high!

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼

BirkiLady · ‎02-22-2015

Have trimmed back the roses, pulled up some annuals, mulched a few flower beds (more to go!) and trimmed a few shrubs (trimming was done in August's heat).

All of my iris are still green and healthy looking. Landscapers moved them in December 2017 and only one bloomed this year in their new location. Don't know if I should wait for a hard freeze to cut foliage. They've always been ready to trim back by late August. Just watching them right now and enjoying their beauty. Strange.

Have a new raised bed of mini hosta plants which is doing very well. Am going to over winter with only 2" of mulch around the plants. Hope they survive. My supplier said that's how he grows all hostas on his farm in NE IA. I've never even mulched regular sized hosta, so will give it a try. These minis are so adorable and have brought to much joy!

Peonies in the backyard have been cut back due to black spot (damp summer). One huge peony by the front of the house is the last to be touched by frost. It's a spectactular plant from my grandmother's home in Omaha. It's surrounded by a "rainbow" of various colors of heucheras. One of my favorite beds by a front patio. On the patio are also yellow mums in pots. They overwinter in the garage.

The Little Limes and spirea along the west side of the house (first year) are still gorgeous! Noticed monarches still going after nectar yesterday. We've had ups and downs with temps. Leaves haven't turned yet. Lawn service is still mowing weekly. Planted bulbs on Wednesday. It's beginning to rain tonight. Perfect timing.

Had concrete work done for another patio this year. That makes two patios redone in the past ten months. Thirty years in a house is too long!!

ETA: Burning bush still has not turned red. I'm waiting. This IS a strange year!

Money screams; wealth whispers.

Lilysmom · ‎03-09-2010

Fall is a busy time! A couple of more days and I will be finished cutting back. Then the leaves. Love the trees until this time of year.

@Carmie, taking down those trees is a big job. Remember my two 50’ spruce came down last Christmas in the storm? We did the cleanup ourselves after Mother Nature did her work. Big job. I replanted a whole garden there. For a small area, it was a lot of work. It came in very well and our burning bush has settled nicely and is now a flaming red.

We just finished a trip to Maine and New Hampshire. The Fall colors were lovely.

@Kachina624, I don’t touch the quilting until the garden cleanup is done. Otherwise, I would be too tempted to quilt. This year’s project is all set to go though and I am eager to get started.

Happy Fall everyone and good luck finishing off the garden season! LM

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

@Carmie wrote:
Last fall I planted over 300 bulbs that were supposed to bloom this spring....not one came up. So I am not planting anything this year.

@Carmie That must have been so disappointing. Especially if your ground is like mine - so choked by tree roots that it's an effort just to dig a hole large enough for a single bulb. The most I've planted is 100 bulbs and I did that several years in a row. I love them but no more tulips or crocus for me - they're usually eaten by deer and squirrels. I have plenty of daffodils but have decided not to put any more in the gardens - it takes months for the foliage to die back and until then they look messy.