by Melody Kendall

I love my garden. It never fails to make me smile.  Even in the fall my plants continue to provide blissful, calming vistas when viewed over my morning mocha.  My dahlias, though succumbing to the inevitable yearly fall powdery mildew attack, still produce colorful blossoms.  The smoke tree changes color from the trunk outwards turning yellow then dull orange as the leaves get ready to drop for the winter. I planted some chrysanthemums this year and they are still providing color, though next year I'm going to stake them up as they tend to be top heavy and fall over.  I have a random volunteer zinnia that is a vibrant red that still soldiers on even as the temperatures fall.  I didn't plant it and it really isn't irrigated so, though I don't know how it got there or how it survives, I'm very appreciative of the effort.  The gaillardia is slowing down, but still have lots of blossoms for the pollinators.  I lost most of the lantana during the last frost in spring of this year.  Now that I look back on it, I bet if I'd just been patient and waited they would have come back, but being the ever impatient person that I am, I pulled most of them out and replaced them.  Now, both the ones I saved and the ones I purchased are exploding with color.  We'll see how they hold up with cooler temperatures this winter.  I'll try to rein in my need for instant gratification and give them a chance to return in the coming spring. 

As I look at everything, I mentally make a list of all the items that will need to be addressed before my garden gets tucked in for the winter.  For example, those pesky morning glories have taken over the entire garden and will need to be removed with prejudice.  I'm going to leave the Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia) until the bitter end because the pollinators just love them, but I will remove all the spent annuals and assess the perennials and shrubs and decide what to do with them. I can cut back some of them now and others I will need to wait until early spring to cut back.  I have to do my research.  I'm really excited that my spring bulb delivery has arrived and I want to get those in the ground soon so I can have wonderful vistas this spring. With the warmer fall that we have been experiencing all my trees have been holding on to their leaves. Once they drop, I'll rake and mulch them into the garden beds to take advantage of nature's wonderful fertilizer.  Then, as the tree branches are revealed, I can decide if they need any shaping and get some pruning done.  I've purchased a product that is compost and manure and I'll gently work that into each cleaned out garden bed so that the coming rains will encourage it all to percolate through and rejuvenate the nutrients in the soil. The weeds and morning glories fall into that category, are ever present and always seeking to take over the garden.  There is an ongoing removal process to keep up with their persistent germination.  

Fall gardens do require some work to prepare for the coming winter months and make the spring push easier and less labor intensive.  Here are some guidelines for your garden fall cleanup efforts:

• Begin by examining your garden to see what worked, didn't work, what could be done differently or better.

In my garden: staking my chrysanthemums and giving my lantana a chance to recover

• Consider plant revisions (species and location changes, size considerations, color, texture, pollinator activity, and adding accessories like rocks and logs).

In my garden: get rid of the morning glories and wait to see what recovers from spring frosts

• Select plants for fall installation while the soil is warm and to take advantage of winter rains. Plant spring blooming bulbs. Warm soil allows microorganisms to thrive so your new fall plants will establish their roots before the cold sets in.

In my garden: get my spring bulbs settled into the garden beds

• Leave the leaves! They are free mulch and provide winter shelter for creatures and insects. Plus, the leaves protect the soil from erosion and run off. Exceptions to this would be in fire prone areas where leaf and debris removal is a must.

In my garden: I'm going to leave the leaves

• Eliminate as many weeds as possible.

In my garden: An ongoing effort in any garden at any time. 

• Aerate the soil with a garden fork, but don't till — it damages root systems. Aeration will allow water and air penetration, essentials for healthy soil and plants. Avoid soil compaction by limiting where you walk.

In my garden: Gently poke holes in the soil with a wide tined garden fork while watching out for the irrigation lines

• Nutrients in the soil are depleted in the spring through summer months. Help the soil replenish nutrients by adding compost and slow-release organic amendments.

In my garden: Application of compost and manure mixture

• Remove diseased plants by cutting them off at soil level. Remove any diseased leaves under the plants, such as those with black spot, fungus, and more that will infect new and existing plants in spring.

In my garden: Cut the stalks of the dahlias to the ground and assess the needs of the perennials and shrubs

• Leave deadheads on plants that have seeds for birds to eat.

In my garden: Leaving the Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia) until late winter

• Cut off broken or dead tree branches for safety, tree health, and appearance.

In my garden: Shape the trees

• Remember, to maintain a vibrant habitat space, avoid the use of pesticides and herbicides.

In my garden I don't use any pesticides or herbicides. I feel like I'm contributing to the environment by avoiding their use and besides having a dog.  That is not to say that pesticides and herbicides don't have their place, just not in my garden

Put in the effort now and your spring garden planning will be more satisfying. It sounds like a lot of sweat and energy, but plug into your latest audio book while you enjoy the fresh air and accomplish these preparations in anticipation for the next growing season.

Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143.  Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.

Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.

Photo credits: Mel Kendall

Information links: UC IPM

Weeds http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/weeds_intro.html

Powdery mildew http://ipm.ucanr.edu/QT/powderymildewcard.html

Chrysanthemum http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FLOWERS/chrysanthemum.html

Zinnia http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FLOWERS/zinnia.html

Lantana http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/lantana.html

UCMG Sonoma County

Smoke Tree https://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Plant_of_the_Month/Cotinus/

UCMG Tulare/King Counties-Gaillardia https://ucanr.edu/datastoreFiles/268-497.pdf