Master Gardeners offer tips for winter

WILLIAMSBURG — Master Gardeners met with residents at Williamsburg Public Library last week to offer tips about preparing their gardens for winter.

Lynn Hattery-Beyer, of Amana, has a historic garden in the front of her house and pollinators and raised beds in the back, she said.

In the fall, everything looks dead and straggly. Some people like to manicure their gardens, while others like the natural look, Hattery-Beyer said.

“There’s no right way to do this,” Hattery-Beyer said. She likes to leave a lot of stems so the garden looks as if something is still alive.

According to information from Iowa State University Extension, lawns should be mowed until grass stops growing, when the temperature reaches about 50 degrees, the Master Gardeners told their audience.

Master Gardener Sharon Helt said she doesn’t treat her lawn, and she doesn’t fertilize it either. Gardeners who want to fertilize in the fall should do so in mid-September or early October, Helt said.

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Leaves that have fallen in yards and gardens can be raked and blown and discarded or collected for mulch. They can be mowed into compost as they fall on the lawns.

Hattery-Beyer likes to rake leaves into her garden and around trees for compost, she said.

Annuals should be left in gardens until after the first killing frost, the Master Gardeners said.

Some people like to pull the plants out of the ground, but Helt prefers to leave them. They become habitats for animals and birds eat their seeds.

If the plant is a perennial, it should be insulated underground.

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Some plants, such as hostas, need to be cleared before winter. Snails like to hide in them, said Hattery-Beyer.

Gardeners can dig up their annuals, put them in pots and keep them inside, said Helt, even if they take only part of the plant indoors.

Gardeners can take cuttings from some plants, rather than digging up the entire plant. That works with begonias and lavender, Helt said.

Fall is also the time to save seeds from zinnias, marigolds, poppies, cosmos and other plants.

Hattery-Beyer said she likes to pull up her marigolds and shake the seeds over the area where she wants marigolds to grow the following year.

She also collects seed pods from zinnias, and keeps them for spring.

Seeds from perennials can be collected in the fall as well, said Helt. The plants can be divided or moved indoors. This works with hostas, daylilies, irises and peonies, she said.

Peonies need to be cut down to the ground before winter.

Hattery-Beyer has always wondered what to do with her asters and mums, she said. She doesn’t cut them back and said they overwinter better if she doesn’t.

In the spring she breaks the stems off, and they should come back, she said.

Hardy vegetables can be maintained until frost, said Helt. After the first killing front, they can be chopped up and dropped into the soil.

Some people till in the fall after clearing plants. “I’ve never done that,” said Helt.

Fall is the time to add organic matter to the soil, the Master Gardeners said.

Kale, greens and Brussels sprouts can be left in the garden, said Helt. Gardeners should remove most annuals.

Master Gardener Sharon Newbold said she leaves the roots in the soil, chops the stems, which allows more air into the soil

Hattery-Beyer chops up her arugula and adds it to her garden as organic matter in the fall. “It’s a habitat that’s good for the worms,” Helt said.

“I love doing straw bale [gardening] because it gives you additional space,” said Hattery-Beyer. At the end of the season, it’s like getting a gift.

“Your straw bale has decomposed,” said Hattery-Beyer. “It’s just wonderful for adding organic matter.”

Adding organic matter to soil is important for plant growth, the Master Gardeners said.

Don’t overuse green organic matter, such as leaves, said Hattery-Beyer. And don’t overuse manure. Horse and cow manure is best, she said. Chicken droppings work as well.

Don’t use feces from cat, dog or pig, the Master Gardeners said.

Having soil tested every year will give gardeners a good idea how acidic their gardens are, said Hattery-Beyer. Iowa State University no longer provides the services, but testing is available through the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin.

Their websites have instructions for taking samples for the test.

“This is something that could help a lot of us be more successful,” said Hattery-Beyer.

Gardeners should dig up their tender bulbs, such as dahlias, canna, begonias and gladiolas. Certain bulbs will not winter over, said Helt. They should be stored in dry, cool locations until they are planted in spring.

Fall is also a good time to clean and sharpen gardening tools. “Really, cleaning your tools as you go along is a good idea,” said the Master Gardeners.

“I use a lot of supports and stakes,” said Hattery-Beyer. She takes them inside in the fall, cleans and stores them. “Also any garden art that you have.”

The Master Gardeners pointed gardeners to yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/ for more information about gardening.