Prepare for winter by mulching and pruning, . . .

. . . and collect your "no cost" organic matter, which flower gardeners call "the gardener's black gold."  How it is done is explained in this gardening article.

Prepare For Winter By Mulching And Pruning

© James Ellison

Fall is a good time for gardeners to prepare for winter by mulching and pruning their "black gold": - leaves, grass clippings,  and dead or dying (free from disease) annual plants.

When flower gardening, putting organic matter on flower beds  . . .
-  increases the water capacity and nutrient holding capacity of the soil.
-  assists in making minerals available for plants.
- binds clay particles into larger sums, improving aeration and drainage.

Where To Begin

Running over grass and leaves with a mulching lawnmower is recommended ( any lawnmower will do). This shreds the material into tiny pieces which can be left as a top dressing on flower beds or garden. Put on two or three inches. If you have mulch already down, rake that back, apply to the surface the shredded organic matter, and then return the mulch on top.

Working With Mulch

Mulching is one of these fall jobs which affects the success of the next gardening year  -- particularly if you have added new perennials to your flower gardening patch  this fall. 

 Many experts claim that mulching  too soon causes new growth and gives the plant a falsified view of the true temperatures.  Other people say mulching is essential to ensure tenderness, and new perennials are provided a good foundation in which to root.

Important: Add mulch only after you have cleared away any unwanted waste from the base of the plant. It is also best to wait until the ground is frozen.

NOTE: Apply 25 to 50 pounds of compost per 100 square feet yearly to put nutrients back  into the soil.

Why Mulch

During the winter, mulching works as an insulating blanket, keeping the soil from buckling from constant freeze and thaw cycles.

If, in the fall,  you plant perennials  without mulching, the bald soil will thaw during the day and freeze at night, producing movement that can heave small plants up out of the soil. The crown of the  plant will be dried out and either be injured or die over the winter.

Rose gardeners should wait to do their mulching. Putting down a layer of mulch before November can do more harm than good. Fall freezes will not hurt the roses, so it is best to wait a few weeks for the soil to freeze before putting down a layer of your winter mulch to any rose.

What to prune/trim

Trim certain perennials, such as peonies, after their leaves have died.   

The iris, which is  open to diseases and rotting, fares better  if its leaves are  trimmed back.

The tree peony is somewhat like a deciduous shrub with a woody stalk and won't need to be trimmed, just fertilized around November and mulched for the onset of a cold winter.

Fruits and vegetables left on the ground will  bring disease and rodents. Bury or place in compost bin.

Trimming perennials that provide no winter appeal . . .

-  lowers possible pests, disease and other gardening troubles,
-  livens up the outdoor space by making clean lines and a clean slate for the spring.

Leave perennials, such as sedum or black-eyed susan, that have winter appeal,and always leave ornamental grasses until spring.

When flower gardening, texture and multi-colors of tan, brown and rust can be just as important to the winter garden as the bloom colors are to the summer garden .  Plants, such as broad leaf evergreens like holly and azaleas, are inclined to feel winter dryness and are much better left uncut.

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About the Author
Jim's articles are from extensive research on each of his topics. You can learn more of fall prep, mulch and pruning by visiting: www.basic-info-4-organic-fertilizers.com/mulch.html

Source: goarticle.com