Winterize the garden
Don’t get too comfy, gardeners. Despite the balmy fall temperatures, we all know Colorado’s weather can change drastically overnight. Even if you harvested most of your backyard vegetables in September, you may still be enjoying a few blooming flowers or winter veggies. “This year’s unusual in that it’s not frozen up yet,” said Dave DeRose of Rocky Mountain Seed Co. “I still have tomatoes in my yard.” Here are a few tips on how to manage your garden year-round and avoid being caught off-guard by Mr. Jack Frost. – John Wenzel
Take cover! Between-season plants, like winter rye and clover, help control erosion and add organic matter to the soil. Gardens in dry-land areas, like much of Colorado, can also be turned over and left rough so the soil will absorb and retain any moisture that falls. In general though, a light cover of mulch or leaves should protect most soil.
Roses are red (when not dead). A small mound of dirt 3 or 4 inches high around the lower branches is all that’s needed to protect most rose bushes from frost damage. Coddling roses by covering them with straw will make them green up sooner in the spring but ultimately weaken their stalks with unnatural warmth and protection.
A pansy for all seasons. If you crave a winter flower fix consider pansies: The only time they don’t grow well is in the hottest months of summer. If you planted them now you have a chance of enjoying up to eight months of bloom – especially if we have a mild winter. A few light pine boughs placed over the top is all the frost and snow protection they need.
Hearty har har. Garlic is an ideal and hearty plant for winter growing. It goes dormant in cold temperatures and is impervious to frost. It can be grown in small spaces and needs only consistent watering and a bit of fertilizer. Plant a few cloves in the spring, and they will begin to grow and take root until the first snow. In the spring they will start growing again and are ready for harvest in early summer.
Keep those shears in check. Don’t over-prune your perennials.
“As long as there are green leaves, I leave them on, just on the theory that green leaves are making food,” said Rocky Mountain Seed Co.’s DeRose. “When they start to grow (again) is when I prune them.”
Sources: Rocky Mountain Seed Co.; BackYardGardener.com; GardenersNet.com; whyy.org
