Among a few flashes of sunlight this November, I spotted some of my favorite trees, larches or Larix laricina. These conifers turn golden yellow then orange in November and lose their needles. In spring, the soft new foliage is a brilliant green. They grow best in wet, boggy meadows or pond edges. Sadly, I cannot put a tree in my wet, boggy areas. But I sure enjoy seeing them in November.
Otherwise, the wintry mix has the Lazy Berkshire Gardener mostly hiding indoors. Winter prep still needs to be done, and I will get to it, albeit slowly.
Before the snow this past weekend, however, I did get out to my garlic and strawberry plantings to spread straw. Ideally, you want to spread the straw just as it begins to freeze. This will keep the soil insulated through the winter and help retain moisture.
Early green shoots in late winter will be protected from dry spring winds with a three- to six-inch blanket of straw. Thawing and refreezing can heave strawberry crowns up out of the protective soil, and the crowns can die from exposure. I have added straw just around the crowns this past week. In about two weeks, once we have had multiple hard frosts and the plants are dormant, I will cover the entire strawberry bed for the winter.
For the garlic, I put a two-inch layer down at first to retain moisture. I will add more in a couple weeks once the ground freezes solid. I use a bagged, shredded straw. It is easier for me to transport and quick to spread. I placed it on the bed before a day of rain so the rain set the straw in place. If no rain is forecast, I recommend watering the area to dampen the straw before winter winds have a chance to blow it away.
Keep switching your landscape from summer to winter. It takes me weeks! Clean and store ceramic or terra cotta birdbaths for the winter. If yours is concrete or resistant to cracking, get a birdbath heater that will keep the water from freezing solid. You can still provide wild birds with fresh water all winter.
Install posts for bird feeders now before the ground freezes solid, but don’t put out birdseed yet if you have bears in your area. Once soils are frozen and snow flies, usually December, bears take to their dens for a couple months. Store birdseed in a tightly sealed container. I have found that popcorn tins (received as family gifts) or metal trash cans with a tight lid will keep the seed dry and mice out of the birdseed.
Clean and winterize summer lawn power tools like mowers and edgers. Drain fuel, change oil, and clean engine parts. Store all batteries of battery-operated tools above freezing, ideally at a consistent temperature between 59 and 68 degrees. Lead-acid batteries discharge by three percent to five percent a month. Put them in storage at full charge in a climate controlled, cool area and away from heat sources. For a riding mower with lead-acid battery for example, charge the battery once or twice through the winter. Lithium-ion batteries should not be stored fully charged. By keeping them to 50-80% of charge, you extend their lifespan and avoid stressing the battery from over- or undercharging.
Clean wooden stakes with a wire brush before storing. I have sorted them by relative size and corralled them with a nursery pot. I have a section of my dry basement for all things gardening. It is not tidy yet. I will save that for a truly yucky winter day. For now, I am collecting all my reusables—stakes, pots, digging tools, bulbs, seeds, and pest solutions—on assorted shelves. When I do organize the mess, I will have a much better idea of what to toss, what to save, and what to buy new for next spring.
While it may be hard to inspect your gardens during these dark days, try to spend time in daylight to identify rodent habitat. Dry leaves can make a nice mulch, but keep deep leaf piles away from trunks. Mice will hide in the leaves and damage the bark.
Keep piles away from your house foundation, too. And fill any exterior cracks or holes you find to keep mice out.
Collect pine cones and dried seed pods for seasonal decorations. I have white pine and a mugo pine with interesting cones. I also enjoy the stiff seed balls of black-eyed susans (Rudbeckia fulgida). I leave the larger Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) seed heads because I have seen birds land on them and peck off the seeds.
Also, fluffy goldenrod seed heads do not appeal to me as indoor decorations. They fall apart too quickly. Instead, I have let goldenrod stand in my meadow. The seed heads still attract songbirds and harbor insects. I decided that if I cut the stems back, they will provide too much cover for the abundant voles who live there. I also credit the red-tail hawk for teaching me that one. The hawk hunts above the meadow just about every day and seems pretty successful. I am improving his sightlines by being lazy. That works for me.
I call myself the Lazy Berkshire Gardener because I don’t want to work too hard in my gardens. I want to enjoy them. I find it easier to observe my landscape and let the compost happen, the water pool up, or daisies to self-sow. I look for ways to do the minimum task for the biggest impact. For example, mulching is better than spraying and much better than weeding all season. I look for beautiful, low-maintenance plants that thrive in or at least tolerate my garden conditions. Plus, I am willing to live with the consequences if I miss something.
