I had beautiful blooms of dahlia, lantana, and scaevola. But frost has since changed that. I appreciate the seasons of the Berkshires. A good frost marks a transition and time to rejoice. Cool weather has arrived! I will dig out spent annuals. I will use a hedge trimmer to cut back large swaths of golden rod in my meadow. I am not cutting stems to the ground, but I am dropping old growth to a few inches above the soil level. This adds nutrients back to the soil and lets in light for new growth. Insects hibernating in plant stems will not be displaced.
I have full rain barrels. I am using that water to keep soils moist on these dry days as I plant my garlic and continue to harvest arugula, Brussels sprouts, and onions. Drain hoses of water prior to storing for winter. I am getting close but haven’t stored them yet.
Time for end-of-season maintenance. Before putting tools too far away, brush off soil, oil wooden handles, and sharpen shovel or hoe edges. Do it and your tools will be ready when you are in the spring. Tip for tool sharpening: Use a whetting stone or metal file. Look closely at the edge and sharpen edges at the same angle to avoid making the edge dull.
As leaves fall, so fall our inhibitions. Don’t get cocky around chainsaws. Take a chainsaw safety class and always wear protective gear. I promise, you don’t want to visit the emergency room, or worse, not make it there.
Ornamental grasses, annuals, and other high-value native plant stems can stay in the landscape until February. These support insects as well as birds. If heavy winter snows collapse the stems, go ahead and cut them to about three inches above soil level. A Lazy Berkshire Gardener lets them go for as long as possible.
Always on the lookout for avoiding a task, the Lazy Berkshire Gardener knows that dandelion leaves have more Vitamin A than spinach and more Vitamin C than tomatoes. As a result when weeding them from the garden, the leaves go into the “fresh greens” pile. Don’t destroy your healthy greens.
While we look to our houseplants as green pets through the winter, remember that houseplants go into a dormant period as daylight shortens. Reduce any fertilizer and adjust the watering schedule as growth slows.
Pull out your amaryllis bulbs saved over the summer, pot up, water, and put in a bright light location. When you see growth emerging from the bulb, start to turn it 90 degrees every few days so the stem grows straight. Once a flower bud forms, put the potted plant further away from direct light or place near an eastern window. Strong sunlight can shorten the life of amaryllis flowers.
Did you know pumpkins were once thought to get rid of freckles and cure snake bites? I will just stick with the power of squash to thicken soups, to add taste to breads, and to flavor excellent pies. Save the seeds of your jack-o-lanterns. You can roast them with oil, salt, and other spices for a low-calorie and high-nutrition snack.
If your house is like mine, the seals are less secure than thought around the windows and lady beetles have arrived. These beetles were brought to this country to control pests, which they do, but they also have a habit of overwintering in large structures (what they consider trees and we consider houses). You might see them in the angle of wall and ceiling or suddenly flitting about the dining room table light. Lady beetles will emit a foul odor and orange spray if stressed. To control their numbers, vacuum up. You can open the vacuum canister outside or store the contents in a bag for spring release.
Finally, you can still plant shrubs, perennials, and trees while soil is still workable. Plan to water well until hard frost sets in. If you choose plants now, you will see their fall colors. Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), for example, is a native plant (for slightly acidic soil) that sports a bright red fall color as brilliant as the invasive burning bush (Euonymus alata).
And, happy Halloween everyone! The Lazy Berkshire Gardener likes to keep the gardens scraggly and spooky for trick-or-treaters. No aggressive weeding required. You can consider it “community participation.”
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.
