HOLLAND, Ohio — It's starting to get chilly out there! But, there are a few things still left to do before you close up shop for the fall.
CLEAN UP LEAVES
Make sure to walk around and clean up any leaves that are laying around. If you have any perennials that have started to really die back like hostas or day lilies, you can go ahead and cut those back and clean them up this time of year.
TAKE INVENTORY FOR BROADLEAF EVERGREENS
Jenny Amstutz from Nature's Corner suggests taking inventory for your broadleaf evergreens. A broadleaf evergreen stays green all winter and has wider leaves like a holly or boxwood.
"These are things you want to spray with wilt stop. It’s an anti-desiccant that will coat the leaf. This way, it doesn’t lose so much moister through the winter," Jenny said. "The leaves won’t curl as much and they will be much happier in the spring."
Jenny also said that often times with those winter winds, they will dry right up in the winter, so you should be protecting them with wilt stop to prevent that from happening.
FERTILIZE
Additionally, it's a good idea to fertilize throughout the fall.
"I always liked using Holly-tone, Plant-tone or one of those Espoma products. They are a slow release fertilizer," Jenny said. "If there’s mulch underneath your shrubs and trees, I like to move that aside, put the fertilizer right on top of the soil, then put the mulch back and let Mother Nature take care of the rest."
As it rains, the fertilizer will seep right down into the roots. The soil temperature is still warm, so the roots of the tree and shrub — even though it’s going dormant — will still feed on those nutrients.
If you have some new trees and you need to protect the trunk, Jenny suggests using a plastic tree wrap. It will help with the rabbits or deer that are going to rub up against the trunk to protect your new tree.
ROSE COLLARS
One last step: rose collars.
"I like to do it real late in the season. If you have roses, you can use a rose collar around the base of the plant. You will fill it with a loose mulch or leaves to help insulate the rose," Jenny said. "I like to do it real late in the season, so you don’t attract critters to that little warm area."
If you have any other questions about what to do in the garden or the landscape, Jenny suggests asking the experts at Nature's Corner.