When gardeners talk about “putting their gardens to bed,” what exactly do they mean? Fluffing little pillows for cabbage heads or pulling little sheets up to kale chins? Probably not — though that would be cute.
Rather, Bellingham gardeners are trying to finish many tasks in October before winter stops them: storing harvests, cleaning, evaluating, protecting gardens against winter conditions and preparing for next year’s garden.
The growing season is over, and frankly, many plants have left a mess. The last veggies are going or gone, unharvested fruit is falling off trees. Nature is asking us: “Hey! You gonna eat that?” You can pick many fruit varieties before they’re ripe to minimize damage from pests and falling. Store them at refrigerator temperatures, with moisture and ventilation, and save them for later.
Apples and pears can keep for weeks or months, depending on the variety, and then finish ripening at room temperature. Squash and root veggies can also be kept for months when cleaned, “cured” in the sun for a week and stored in a cool, dark place with good ventilation. Ideally not on a concrete floor. Carrots, kales, cabbages and similar leafy greens are hardy fall veggies that can survive well past frost.
Observe your garden closely as you’re working. If you see signs of codling moth, maggots, other pests or pathogens, it’s time to think about protecting next year’s crop. Start with good hygiene: prune out any diseased bits, clear the ground under the trees. Rotting bits of fruit, veggies, spent foliage and flowers left on the ground can become fodder, spreading next year’s crop of pests and pathogens. It’s easier to stop them now.
That’s true of weeds as well: They’re easier to pull when they’re just sprouting with the rain. While it’s good to leave some leaf piles to protect beneficial insects and spider eggs, it’s best not to leave them right under fruit trees or where you want to plant veggies next season. (See here for more info on Whatcom County-specific garden and pest care.)
Chard and kale unharvested in a garden at the Outback Farm. Kales and leafy greens are hardy veggies and survive well past frost. (Isaac Stone Simonelli/Cascadia Daily News)
Evaluate your garden and take action to protect whatever can’t stand up to winter. Trim back dahlias, peonies, rhubarb and other perennials to minimize rotting foliage and prevent root problems. You might leave some foliage to encourage birds. For instance, seed heads feed birds and sword ferns create habitat for nesting. Tubers such as dahlias and peonies in locations that don’t have good drainage can be dug up, divided and stored for spring planting.
Seedling protectors, bubble wrap and rodent fencing can help protect vulnerable plants from cold temperatures and hungry critters. Move your hoses and timers to safe locations. Cover the hose bibs. Clean, sharpen and store tools that can be harmed by harsh weather.
Try composting some of the dead stuff. An efficiently sized pile with a good mix of organic matter, turned regularly, can reach temperatures hot enough to kill off pests, pathogens and weed seeds. It’s a free, nutritious mulch to feed nutrients to your garden.
To be honest, many gardeners don’t have time for chipping, chopping or mowing the stuff into small bits or turning it regularly. It decomposes anyway. We just avoid adding weed roots, seeds and trimmings from potatoes, tomatoes, berries, fruit trees or roses. Anything likely to harbor problems can go to the green waste composters. (See here for more compost information.)
Prepare your garden for a better next year. What went well? What would you do differently? It’s a great time to plant new plants — maybe from year-end sales — or move plants that aren’t thriving to better locations. They’ll have time to establish roots before winter. It’s also the perfect time to plant those wonderful flower bulbs that we’ll admire next spring. And yes, it’s time to tuck those gardens to bed for the winter, with a good 3-to-4-inch layer of woody mulch to discourage weeds. You might even tell them a bedtime story or two about how great they’ll be next year.
Marie Metivier-DeMasters is a Whatcom County master gardener and professional writer, as well as a grandmother, musician, mountain biker, quilter, former technical writer, part-time sci-fi writer and passionate garden geek. She lives in Bellingham with her husband Bill, a burly black cat named Ollie, in a kitchen garden filled with beds, berries and a small orchard. A gardening column will appear monthly.
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