The Usual Fall Chores

Looks like Mother Nature thinks we should have an extended bout of cool wet weather even though the fall equinox slipped by with no fanfare. I always have to write several days before this comes out and hope that I am relevant with the weather. I was going to say that no frost yet leaves my hand twitching to get started with my fall clean up and pruning, but it looks like we will have that killing frost in the next night or two.

Killing frost is coming so it is time to pick your tomatoes, bring your house plants in and reduce the watering to your established yard. You still have to keep a close eye on the watering of newly planted trees and shrubs but to slowly reduce the water as the leaves fall. Deep watering, less frequently gets the water down in the root zone to help plants fend off the winter cold and dry wind. Plants entering dormancy need less water but that does not mean no water. More about fall watering next time.

You should prune dead or broken branches any time you see them, but the general rule of pruning suggests you should take no more than one third of a tree or shrub at a time so as not to over stress your plant. Of course, there are always exceptions to any rule. Some plants can tolerate and need heavier pruning. You have frequently seen plants that have been pruned heavily in mid-summer, and many shrubs like spirea and potentilla can tolerate and even benefit from summer clean up. Dogwood, spirea, caragana, cotoneaster, and even potentilla can withstand being sheared close to the ground every few years, but I would caution not to prune that much every year. Lilac shrubs, Snowmound spirea and rhododendrons prefer to be pruned soon after they bloom so you are not cutting off next year’s flowers. Maple trees should generally be pruned after the initial sap run.

On the other hand perennials, ornamental grass, and Annabelle family hydrangea all should be cut back and cleaned up. Depending on your tolerance level for plant tidiness, or if you don’t have time to clean up until spring, there are pros and cons for each gardening style. Ornamental grass should be cut back in the spring as the dry stems have sugars the root can use during the winter, and the dry stems are great winter interest standing up in the snow, and catching the snow gives them winter insulation. Perennials are a mixed bag for when to prune. If you noticed insects, powdery mildew or other diseases on your plants it is a good idea to clean up and discard all the clippings as insects as well as mildew and fungus spores can overwinter in the litter. I usually get one shot at clean up in late spring and it helps me remember where I planted if the dry stems are there. I also find plant tags from things I planted that didn’t make it, and things I don’t even remember planting. Some perennials prefer cutting back in the fall versus spring so it is a good idea to read up on what you have. That might be an answer to why your plant didn’t make it over the winter.

Back to shrub and tree pruning. Pruning is a bit of science and a bit of art. We have all seen photos or visited gardens that are intentionally groomed beyond what most home gardeners have time for. I talk endlessly about choosing the right plant for the right spot in the yard, and that includes how large the plant will be at maturity. I also try to find out a person’s gardening style from very formal with everything matching (and maybe looking like a snow cone) or if you like a more natural looking plant style. With that in mind, choosing a plant that will need less pruning could be helpful. For a more natural look, instead of shearing heavily, you might consider doing a combination of thinning and cutting back. Thinning refers to looking at the structure of the plant and choosing to remove older branches to give the plant more energy for new growth. Dogwoods and caragana respond well to this type of pruning plan. You can take out the older branches in the fall, let the plant rest over the winter and do more shaping in the spring to keep with the one third rule. Remember pruning generally stimulates growth so consider your pruning cuts with that in mind. That is also why it is best to prune most plants in the dormant season.

If you are working with older junipers or evergreens that have gotten out of shape, you will be happier with the outcome if you prune a bit after the new growth has come out. Winter pruning of evergreens leaves the plant more susceptible to winter injury. If you take the time to shape every year or two you will avoid the look of stubbed off branches that take years to recover. If your foundation planted evergreens are just too much to deal with, don’t feel bad that you want to get rid of them. I don’t know of any prize for the oldest, worst looking, overgrown junipers.

Now that the veggie garden is done for the season take a moment to review the season to see what worked or what problems came up. Vegetable crops need to be rotated every few years to manage disease and pests so make notes for next year. Fall is also a good time to consider amending your soil. It can take years to improve your soil and getting a soil test is a good idea. If you are on well water you may want to have that tested also, as much of the well water in our area is high in salts that cause many of our favorite plants to struggle. Water and soil have to work together to make your project successful.

Now a few words on fall weeds. It must be warm enough for weeds to be actively growing, 50 degrees or more, for herbicide to work. Keeping weeds cut down at ground level will help starve perennial weeds, but you have to keep after it and not let them go to seed. Low growing weeds like goat’s head are harder to handle, and hopefully you have already sprayed or pulled them this season. Remember many varieties of seed can live for years in the soil and will sprout when the soil temperature and light are just right.

We had a great turnout for our beekeeping class! Thanks to Sheri Kisch for sharing her passion for bees, to Bruce for the homemade baked goods, to Shipton’s for their sponsorship, and to members of the Yellowstone Valley Beekeepers for helping with the Q&A. We plan to continue having the class each fall so please let us know if you have a special bee topic you would like us to cover.

This year’s growing season is slipping by but this is Montana and we are likely to have great fall weather yet to come. Cool weather planting gives plants time to settle in and develop roots but not have to support all the leaves until next year. Stop in to see our great selection of trees, shrubs and perennials.