Putting your garden to bed as temps. cool in NH

Grow it Green: Putting your garden to bed

IN THIS WEEK’S GROW IT GREEN WE ARE AT THE MASSABESIC AUDUBON CENTER IN AUBURN. I’M HERE WITH WILL LOWENTHAL MASTER GARDENER, AND VOLUNTEER HERE AT THE MASSABESIC CENTER. WILL WE ARE AT THE REALLY TAIL END OF THE GROWING SEASON HERE, AND IT’S TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT CLEANING UP THE GARDEN, EVEN PREPARING FOR EARLY SPRING GROWTH. SO WHAT ARE SOME THINGS WE CAN START TO DO RIGHT NOW TO GET READY? WELL, ONE POSITIVE THING YOU CAN DO IN THE MIDST OF THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION ALL AROUND US IS TO GET YOUR GARLIC PLANTED FOR NEXT YEAR. YEAH, THIS IS A GREAT TIME OF YEAR TO DO IT ANY TIME BEFORE THE THE GROUND FREEZES. IT’S A VERY SIMPLE PROCES PROVIDED YOU ALREADY HAVE YOUR PURCHASED, YOUR GARLIC AND IT’S JUST A MATTER OF DIGGING ABOUT A THREE INCH HOLE LIKE THAT. IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE VERY BIG. YOU PUT THE GARLIC WITH THE POINTY END UP. COVER IT UP, GO OVER ABOUT ANOTHER SIX INCHES AND REPEAT THE PROCESS. IT’S VERY SIMPLE. ALL RIGHT. AND THESE WILL STAY HERE IN THE GROUND FOR UNTIL SPRING. I LIKE TO COVER THEM WITH A MULCH. I PARTICULARLY LIKE SHREDDED LEAVES THAT PROTECTS THEM. AND IT’S REALLY JUST FORGET ABOUT IT UNTIL SPRING. ALL RIGHT. WHEN THEY COME UP. AND OBVIOUSLY HERE IN THE GARDEN, WE’VE HAD OUR FROST ALREADY THIS SEASON. THERE’S A LOT OF OLD GROWTH HERE THAT’S STARTING TO DECAY. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT TO LEAVE IN THE GARDEN OVER THE WINTER? WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT TO REMOVE? WELL, MOST THINGS COME OUT IN A VEGETABLE GARDEN. IT’S JUST A QUESTION OF WHAT YOU DO WITH THEM WHEN THEY COME OUT AND HOW YOU TAKE THEM OUT. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THIS SQUASH VINE WAS HIT BY THE FROST BEFORE THESE LITTLE BUTTERNUT SQUASH HAD A CHANCE TO MATURE. THAT’S OKAY. WE GOT MANY, MANY SQUASHES OUT OF THIS. YOU WOULD JUST PULL THE VINE OUT LIKE THIS AND WE WOULD DISPOSE OF IT. THE QUESTION BECOMES, DO YOU COMPOST THINGS LIKE THIS OR DO YOU DISPOSE OF IT? WE PREFER TO DISPOSE OF STUFF LIKE THIS BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR PLANT HAD POWDERY MILDEW, A FUNGAL DISEASE. WE DON’T WANT TO INTRODUCE THAT INTO THE INTO THE COMPOST. SAME IS TRUE WITH THE ZUCCHINI PLANT OVER THERE. WE’LL DO THE SAME THING. AND IF YOU HAVE A PLACE TO DISPOSE OF IT IN YOUR WOODS OR SOMETHING, THAT’S GOOD. OTHERWISE YOU GO INTO THE TRASH. OUR TOMATO VINES WERE HIT VERY HARD BY THE FROST AS WELL. THE AND PLUS THEY WERE DISEASED BEFOREHAND. EVEN THOUGH WE GOT TERRIFIC PRODUCTION. BUT THESE I WILL TAKE. I WILL PULL OUT OF THE GROUND. I WILL CUT THE TRELLIS OFF, AND I’LL JUST PUT THE WHOLE THING IN A BIG TRASH BAG AND DISPOSE OF IT IN THE TRASH, BECAUSE YOU DEFINITELY DON’T WANT TO INTRODUCE TOMATO DISEASES INTO YOUR INTO YOUR COMPOST. ALL RIGHT. SOME GOOD TIPS THERE FOR GARDEN CLEANUP THIS TIME OF YEAR. AND NOW YOU CAN HAVE IT FRESH

Will Lowenthal, a master gardener with the UNH Cooperative Extension, talks with Matt Hoenig about the steps you should take now to get your garden prepped for the cold temps. and ready for next spring.