11 November 2019
A Garden Tip from Helen...
Winter storage for tender perennials can be accomplished by storing the plants in a garage with some natural lighting from garage windows or with artificial light supplied by fluorescent fixtures. Use portable heaters to provide enough heat to keep plants from freezing. My favorites are the little electric radiators available at Lowes. Watering is usually only needed a couple times a month.
Tender bulbs should be pulled up before a frost. Dahlias and elephant ears can withstand our winter temperatures fairly consistently. However, if you don’t want to lose your favorite dahlia, you best dig it up and store it in sawdust in a cool dry place.
Although the weather is dry again, continue weeding and mulching for an easier spring cleanup. After birds finish stripping seeds from rudbeckia, asters and mums, cut plants down to the point of new growth. Be sure to clear all debris from around peonies after cutting off their dead stalks, but do NOT mulch them – they don’t like mulch of any kind.
If the weather stays mild, now is a good time to plant shrubs and trees. Just be sure to water and mulch well after planting.
Lantana and verbena are a couple of popular annuals that will reseed themselves the following year, if left alone. So, don’t disturb the ground around your current plants and you will have more emerging next year.
Happy Gardening,
Helen