Rooted Ramblings: Fall chores

By Michelle Smith, Portage County Master Gardener Volunteer

Fall is often a bittersweet time for gardeners. As we enjoy the cooling weather and beautiful color of the autumn leaves, we lament the fact that we will soon be away from our gardens. On the other hand, the end of season also frees us from back-breaking labor and hours of weeding under the hot sun. Like they say, it’s complicated.

What shouldn’t be complicated, though, are your fall chores. As we prepare to close up our gardens for the season, there are a few simple chores that are important to ensure a good start next year.

Weeding

If you haven’t stayed on top of your weeding this season (guilty), you may have some areas of weeds to address in the fall. Most of them, at this point, have probably gone to seed. While you can’t get all of those weed seeds out easily, removing the larger plants now will still leave you with a cleaner garden next year. Noting which weeds have been a particular problem where can help you differentiate whether the unidentified seedling that comes up in the spring is really that perennial you bought and forgot to label or an unwelcome weed.

Labeling

Speaking of labels, this is an excellent time to label your plants. As the foliage starts to fade, so do our memories. Did we put that new hosta here, or was it in the other bed? What was the name of that rose you ordered? This can be especially helpful if you have plants that are later to emerge in the spring.

Pruning

In general, you should avoid pruning trees and shrubs in the fall. Pruning creates a wound that the plant needs to heal, and this new tissue is more susceptible to damage in cold winter weather. However, if you notice diseased or dead branches, pruning now to prevent further damage or disease is a good idea.

Leaves

Leaf clean-up is one of the most controversial topics in the garden. Decaying leaf matter, left into spring, can be a huge benefit to insects as well as a great source of nutrients for your plants. But there are also some very good reasons to clear plant debris away in the fall. Leaves and plant matter should be cleared away from any areas that experienced disease during the growing season or in areas of intense cultivation like vegetable gardens, where disease is a very real risk. You should also clear areas like walkways, where slick leaves may become a danger. Consider the type of leaves and location – a thick layer of oak leaves that is slow to decompose might cause visible damage in one area of your lawn but might be perfectly fine to leave in the tree line farther away from the house. And don’t forget about winter interest – many plants like sedums provide a beautiful display when left until spring, so it would be a shame to remove them.

Tools

Fall is the perfect time to ensure that your garden shed and its contents are in tip-top shape. At a minimum, everything should be cleaned and put away. This is a good time to sharpen your tools and also to discard any that are broken. (It’s also a great time to make a list of tools and other gardening-related gifts you’d like to receive for the holidays!)

Planning for Next Year

As you take stock of your fall garden, it is impossible to not start planning for next year. Take some pictures and write down a few notes – these can be invaluable as you start to read seed and plant catalogs over the winter. This is also a great time to plant some spring bulbs – even at the end of the season, the gardener is always thinking ahead.

Happy gardening.

Ohio State University Extension Portage County Master Gardener Volunteer program. As OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, our articles will never endorse specific products or companies. Questions/comments/suggestions/want to find out more/become a PCMGV: 330-296-6432 •  OSU PCMGV web • portco.mgv.oh@gmail.com • FB PCMGV • PCMGV Speaker’s Bureau