Checklists
LRemove leaves from lawn areas. Leaves left on lawn areas will compact under the snow, smothering the lawn and contributing to disease problems like snow mold. • Use leaves whole or shred them with your lawnmower or a commercial shredder. • Add them to your compost pile now or stockpile them for future use. • Use leaves as a mulch, 4 to 6 inches deep. Apply now to new planting areas to maintain soil warmth and permit better root growth, apply to bare soil areas to prevent erosion, or apply after the ground has frozen to prevent frost heave and premature soil warming in spring. • Keep leaf mulch 6 inches away from the bases of trees and shrubs to prevent damage from rodents. It's important to remove any diseased foliage from the garden completely — don’t compost it.
Oct: prepare for snow Prepare for snow. If you haven’t had frost or snow yet, you will soon. Early snows tend to be heavy and wet, and can damage plants — especially those that haven’t shed their leaves yet. Keep a broom handy and be ready to sweep the snow away to lighten the load on tree and shrub branches.
July: Protect your garden. Protect your favorite flower beds, tender garden plants and berries from nibbling deer and pecking birds with bird cloth. Inexpensive and easy to use, bird cloth is made of a fine plastic mesh — simply drape it over any plants you wish to protect. A natural deer-repellent spray can also help, but if deer or other creatures have been taking a major toll on your garden, consider putting up a fence to prevent trouble in the future.
July: Cut energy and water bills. A hot summer can mean huge water and energy bills, thanks to constant air conditioning and a thirsty garden. Do what you can to cut down: • Fix leaks in faucets and irrigation systems. • Water your garden in the early morning or evening, when you will lose less water to evaporation. • Consider collecting rainwater to use in the garden. • Set your thermostat higher during the day when you are out. • Keep window shades pulled down during the day to block sun. • Use fans and open windows instead of air conditioning to cool your home on not-so-hot days.
Amend the soil. Planning to install a new vegetable or flower garden next spring? Now's a great time to prepare the soil. Use organic amendments to increase water- and nutrient-holding capacity and to improve aeration and water flow. Adding amendments now allows you to work in the garden while the soil is relatively dry, thus preventing the potential for soil compaction that can occur if you try to do it during the wet months of early spring. Come springtime the soil will be ready to plant. • Amendments must be mixed well into the soil — spade or rototill to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. • Composts and aged manures work best for sandy soils; sphagnum peat or wood chips are ideal for clay. • Incorporate 3 cubic yards of amendment per 1,000 square feet of soil. (That’s about 8 cubic feet of amendment for a 10-foot by 10-foot area of soil. • Mulch the bed with a couple of inches of leaves or shredded wood to help prevent soil erosion during the winter.
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