20 Fall Perennial Jobs That Make Spring Easy (Do These Before Winter), by Healthy Root on YouTube. 28 min.
- Video length
- 28 min
- Time to do it
- One weekend
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Find your first hard frost date and your average ground-freeze date from your local extension office. Write both on a calendar so you know when each job is due.
Water deeply about an inch a week until the ground freezes, and stop fertilizing. New plants need moist soil going into winter, not a growth boost.
Plant any last new perennials and spring bulbs among them. Set bulbs at the depth on the packet, usually two to three times their height.
Divide overgrown perennials in October. Lift the clump with a fork, split it with the spade and replant the healthy outer pieces.
Move perennials that are in the wrong spot, then map and photograph your beds. Mark late-emerging plants so you do not dig them by mistake in spring.
Clear slug hiding spots like damp boards and loose debris. After the first hard frost, cut back peonies, bearded irises and hostas, and remove diseased foliage.
Leave seed heads, hollow stems, leaf litter, mums and evergreen perennials standing for birds and winter interest. Do not cut these back.
Wait until the ground freezes, then spread 4 to 6 inches of loose mulch such as shredded leaves or compost. Keep it off plant crowns.
Test your soil and decide what to add next year. Keep diseased debris out of the compost and take the rest to your council green waste.
Tips and common mistakes
Mulching before the ground freezes traps warmth and can rot crowns, so wait for frozen ground.
Never compost diseased foliage, because most home heaps do not get hot enough to kill it.
Cut peonies and irises after a hard frost, not before, to help reduce disease and iris borers.
Check your own zone dates rather than copying advice from a different climate.
Questions
Can I still divide perennials if I missed October?
Divide while the soil is still workable and roots have time to settle, and water well after replanting. In cold zones, stop once the ground is close to freezing.
Should I cut everything down in fall?
No. Cut back only plants that had disease or that die back badly, like peonies and hostas. Leave seed heads, hollow stems and evergreens for wildlife and winter structure.
When exactly should I mulch?
After the ground freezes, not before. Apply 4 to 6 inches of a loose material and keep it away from the crowns of your plants.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
