Table of Contents
Gardening is about hopefulness, planning for the future and dreaming about what is to come in the spring. Planting spring bulbs in pots is easy and gratifying. Bulbs give you the most bang for your buck and you can plant them right up to December.
Buy the bulbs now because they sell out. Tulips work great in pots. I like using all one color in each pot and yellows, reds and hot pink really pop in the spring. Start by choosing a medium to large pot that has a drainage hole. Add 3 to 5 inches of fresh potting soil into your pot or pots of choice. It is fun to layer the bulbs when planting. Think of it as like making lasagna. The soil is your sauce. Place the bigger bulbs first and then an inch of soil or “sauce,” then place the smaller bulbs on top of the large bulbs. Cover it all with 3 to 5 inches of soil or “sauce.” Water thoroughly until you see water drain out. Place the pot in your garage if unheated, or your bulkhead is another good spot. You can place them outside, but in a sheltered area up against your house. It needs to be cold. If you use terracotta, the pots need to be up on a wood plank or something that keeps them off the ground. To keep pots safe from critters, sprinkle with cayenne pepper and put something like cardboard on top of the pot with a brick. Set a reminder on your phone to check on the pots and water each month just a 1/4 cup. In March, uncover them and bring them to a sunny spot outside and be prepared to be thrilled with your bright spring flowers.
My favorite fall tip
When dealing with fallen tree leaves, try mowing them, then mow them again, mow them yet again. Stay with me here. Now use the thrice-pulverized leaves to mulch your beds, roses, favorite plants, vegetable garden, etc. Your soil will thank you in the spring and no huge brown bags to fill and haul to the dump. I sometimes leave a few loads of chopped-up leaves in a corner of my yard to use later and mix in with pots in the spring. It turns your soil into organic gold and it’s free.
When winterizing roses, this is what works for me in Marblehead: In the fall, I pick up all dead rose leaves and discard them in trash, not compost. This is to prevent possible spread of diseases like blackspot from overwintering in the soil. I tie up and wrap around extra-long canes so they are not blowing around all winter. I accomplish this by using plastic garden tape or thin black bungee cords for huge climbers. I do not cut them, ever. The reason for this is the cold is going to create some dieback. If you cut a cane, then you are opening up the dieback to go farther down the cane. I don’t try to train the climbers now; I am just securing them to themselves or to an existing support. I like to use all that tree leaf mulch next. I pile it up around the rose canes and form little volcano-shaped triangles around each rose plant. If you do not have leaf mulch, use compost to create piles around the base of each rose. Roses are tough, hardy plants and will make it through the cold, but this extra step provides protection and nutrition in the spring.
Leave those hydrangeas alone, for goodness’ sake. I will tell you when and what to cut when the time comes. I do recommend topping them off with leaf mulch or compost if your hydrangeas are not reliable bloomers like the Endless Summer or Cityline dwarf varieties.
I cut down and remove plants that reseed, like asters and daisies. Fall cleanup is a personal preference. I prefer to cut almost nothing. Yes, my spring cleanup can be a bit more work. I leave the hostas alone. I leave the sticks and dead brown leaves. There is a reason for my carefree approach. There is organic material in decomposing plant matter. I leave it all alone because 50% of the dead leaves disintegrate into my wonderful soil. OK, I admit, it might only be 20% that decomposes. This may not be a scientific fact at all, but my wonderful soil is scientifically proven good. It was tested.
Soil testing is my secret weapon. If you ask me about any gardening issues, my first question will be, have you tested your soil?
Now is a great time to test your soil. The instructions are relatively simple. The information you will receive is detailed and useful. Doing the soil test now gives you time to go over the results on your couch this winter. Bring the results to the garden center; they can help you select what you truly need. I use the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension lab; their price is the best and their overall process is easiest to follow. (https://extension.unh.edu/resource/soil-testing-forms) Soil testing allows you to know what you have in your yard. You can avoid guessing all the time when plants won’t grow. Having the test results in your own hands gives you the power to buy the right plants and make the correct amendments. You may just need that leaf mulch!
