To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
Ecclesiastes 3
Now that the gardening season has reached fall, some gardeners have become so weary of all the maintenance, they simply decide to let the garden retire on its own.
They resolve the amount of cleanup will simply have to wait until spring. Whereas others may feel that it is mandatory to do a thorough cleaning before winter sets in.
On close examination, both proponents have their merits.
A fall cleanup is a good way of checking perennials to make sure that each is in the best condition to withstand a tough winter.
Judging by past winters, a snowfall may not arrive to completely cover the garden until much later in the season. Without a snow cover, gardeners may sense the untidy appearance is a reflection of their personal gardening skills.
They may also feel that clearing the debris at the end of the season leaves more time for planting in the spring.
In the fall, as a matter of basic garden sanitation, all annuals and the vegetable patch ought to be cleared. Collected plant material should be placed in the compost pile. That will begin the decomposition process before winter sets in. Temperature fluctuations during the winter will speed up the rotting process.
Starting the cleanup in the fall makes life less hectic. Spring gardening is always very busy with numerous, time sensitive tasks. Spring wet weather makes working conditions unpleasant, especially if the garden has soggy material.
Aggressive perennials are very profuse self-seeders that will become invasive if left unchecked. Seed pods will naturally drop and begin to set roots causing an explosion of new unwanted plants. The sooner plants are cut back, the better the garden will fare.
With herbaceous perennials (those that die back), cutting back last season’s dead growth will not encourage new growth.
It is a myth that leaving last season’s growth in place somehow provides extra winter hardiness. It only provides a breeding ground for insects and diseases. Removing it in the fall can prevent problems before any destruction begins.
Gladiolus, dahlias, cannas and other non-hardy bulbs must be dug up before a killing frost. Bulbs need time to dry out over the winter.
Gardeners who choose to ignore winter preparations will realize not all plants will survive a cold winter. It is a strong possibility that younger plants will be a casualty. Even a meteorologist cannot reliably predict winter temperatures or the amount of snowfall.
On the other hand, leaving the cleanup until spring actually provides much needed protection to the crown of perennials. Most dried plant growth will eventually mat with the weight of winter precipitation. That material will act is a shield against severe winter elements.
Perennials that do not receive a consistent deep snow cover will over winter successfully, if they are left standing and are not cut back. Dried stalks and stems will eventually bend over, to help to protect the plant’s crown by trapping any snow that does fall.
When stalks are cut back, the crown is very exposed to the elements. Left intact, dried plant material provides wind and weather protection for the plant and the entire garden.
Some gardeners prefer to keep plants intact for wildlife. They can eat any remaining seeds through the hard winter months.
Keeping plant stalks in place during the winter will hold snow, so that any thawing will allow for necessary watering.
Those who prefer to cleanup in the spring will enjoy the winter wonderland effects that snow brings to the garden. That is especially true when the wind rustles through dried grasses.
Fall is the only time to plant spring bulbs and is an ideal time to relocate or remove perennials. Raking fall leaves from the lawn will prevent winter kill and the need to reseed in the spring.
Whether the garden is cleaned in the fall or spring is a matter of personal preference. That cumbersome task could be divided between the two seasons, although many fall activities can be deemed essential.
Enjoy both seasons to their fullest advantage by pacing the scheduled workload.
Ron Stevenson is a member of the Fergus Horticultural Society.
