Winter Landscape

Cooler temperatures and changing leaf color signal the end of summer -- and the time to begin preparing the garden for winter.

Clean up: It is very important to clean up all old annual plants from your vegetable garden. Be sure to remove all remaining fruit and weeds. Most, if not all, of the remains of the garden can be placed in a compost pile. By removing garden debris, you also are removing disease organisms in the garden that will impact next season's crop.

Compost: Recycle all of your garden waste into the compost pile. This includes plants and fruit, as well as weeds without their seed heads. Try to remove seed heads if possible to prevent the germination of seeds that may survive the composting process.
When composting is done correctly, the internal temperatures of the pile can reach 150 degrees or higher, and kill most disease organisms and seeds. This occurs when the compost pile has the right ratio of carbon to nitrogen, and adequate moisture and oxygen. The average compost pile may not achieve these high temperatures, so it may be wise for the average gardener not to add heavily diseased plants or weed seeds to the compost pile unless the compost will be used outside of the vegetable garden (great for around trees and shrubs).

Cover crop: After you have cleaned up the vegetable garden, you can lightly roto-till the area and plant cereal rye or rye grass over the area as a cover crop. Cover crops are used to retain and recycle valuable nutrients for next year's crop. They also prevent erosion and add valuable organic matter back to the soil. Cereal rye can be obtained from commercial agricultural stores or online. Simply spread the seed over the surface of the garden, so that seeds are about a half-inch to 1 inch apart and lightly rake into the soil. Other great cover crop options include hairy vetch, which can provide a great deal of nutrients for next year's crop. Vetch should be planted in the late summer or very early fall for best survival. Remember that once cover crops reach knee high the following spring, roto-till them under before they get too large and become difficult to manage.

Quick Tips

• Try successive plantings of quick growing items like leaf lettuce, beets, spinach and radishes.

• Don't be afraid to try planting some crops later than recommended. While it is a bit risky, the rewards are definitely worth the risk.

• Self-blanching celery makes an ideal crop in cold frames if planted during July.

• The Chinese Cabbages and Mustards also grow especially well in cold frames. They taste great, too.

• Parsnips are best when pulled in January or early February after the heaviest frosts have turned them the sweetest.

• Try using cheesecloth or clear agricultural cloth over rows of leafy crops. It will keep out pests and may hold in a bit of heat.

• Keep a record of what you planted and when, and what succeeded or failed to help you do better in the future.

• Choose plants that will look good during the colder months, think in terms of bark, berries, and shape. Many plants, such as Japanese maple, have unusual colors of bark. Other trees, like the Japanese Pagoda tree, have interesting fruits or seeds that form during the fall and winter.

• Deciduous vines like wisteria can form strange, twisting branches that look like surreal sculptures in the winter. Evergreen plants are an obvious pick for creating an attractive landscape for the winter.

• Cold hardy greens like escarole are a good pick for the winter garden. Carrots and other root crops also work well.

• If you do get a lot of rain in the winter, raised beds are a perfect way to control the soil moisture level. Soils dry out quicker in raised beds and containers. Additionally, diseases and pests are easier to treat. You can always cover your raised beds during the coldest days of the year to protect your plants.

• Alaeagnus. A nice variegated plant for the winter garden. Grows well in most parts of the country.

• Annuals: You can plant a variety of annuals in late winter and early spring, depending on what area you live in. Try out foxglove, snapdragon, nasturtium, pansies, calendula, bachelor buttons, and sweet alyssum.

It’s a good idea to check with your local nursery or extension agent for information about winter vegetables and the plants suit your part for the country.