I don’t really do much to “put my garden to bed,” but I’ve learned over the years that it’s easier to clean up and get things ready in late spring — I’m certainly more motivated to be out in the warmer weather and sunshine then. Now I’d have to wear gloves under my garden gloves to keep my hands from freezing.

Mostly, I prepare for winter’s cold by leaving a pretty good layer of mulch on everything — leaves work great for this, and add nutrients to the soil. I’ve heard people say, and read in books, that you should wait for a hard freeze before adding the final layer of mulch for winter. It helps to keep the soil temperature regulated and prevents damage to your plants.

Luckily, I’ve stil got a good pile of leaves in the yard that I can rake over to my flower bed and spread out in a layer. The only other task is to clean up my hand tools using a mixture of play sand and oil. I’ve been meaning to do this for weeks now, but will likely get to it on the weekend. Otherwise, I’m ready to start flipping the pages of my winter garden catalogs and start dreaming about spring.

Maybe I’ll come back with some great ideas after visiting Thailand in January. (Go to my personal blog for more details about that trip.) Of course in a tropical climate there are plenty of plants that wouldn’t survive a Missouri winter.

For now, I’ll stick to my mulching plans and start thinking about a vegetable garden in spring.

It turns out that even bad mulch is better than no mulch at all in a garden bed, but there can be some serious problems with using mulch. A few of the biggest:

• Creating a volcano of mulch instead of a bagel. This means leaving some space around the base of the tree and not piling all the mulch up around it.
• Fungal growth
• Changes in soil temperature

Starbuck suggested that adding any layer of mulch is good, but dark dyes and rocks can easily scorch a tree or prevent any root development and growth. And, the layers of weed fabric that most landscapers like to add before they lay down mulch is actually stifling root development.

It was good to learn that my layers of wet sheets of newspapers and leaves are actually ideal mulch because it adds organic matter without harming the plants.

So leaving my leaves on the lawn and not deadheading perennial is actually offering a layer of protection from the winter freeze. It does mean that I’ll have more clean up work to do in the spring, though.

Fallen leaves in backyard

Roses in bloom in November

Despite the fallen leaves and the dates on the calendar, the weather feels more like spring than summer. And my roses are still in bloom because of it.

I’ve been quite pleased with this Snow Drift rose bush. The two in the middle of the yard are doing much better than the smaller bush farther back.

I’ve also been surprised by the good color on my oakleaf hydrangea. I originally chose the plant because I like how it looks in bloom and the color and shape of its leaves. But the bronze, purple color in fall is also quite nice, too.

Fall color on oakleaf hydrangea

I’ve become the editor for the Heart of Missouri Master Gardeners newsletter.

It started because I was looking for a way to get involved in the organization again. I’d been on a bit of a hiatus after taking the classes in fall 2005. So I went to a meeting two months ago and volunteered to help out. Turns out I became the newsletter editor instantly.

It’s not a tough job, really. I just have to compile all the information people send to me and then design it in a four-page spread. It’s sent out as a link through a mass e-mail, and a few print copies are made at the local Extension office.

The challenge for now is carving out enough time to get it done by the first of each month, or thereabouts. So far so good, but I might have more trouble in the wintertime when there’s not as much gardening to be done.

Follow along and we’ll see.

I’ve been thinking of growing strawberries or blueberries lately because all my garden catalogs and magazines make it look easy. Plant a few pots and there will be plenty of fruit to enjoy all season long. I know I’ve got good soil already because the moles have aerated and I use the lasagna method. But I wasn’t sure that I’d ever actually grow fruit. My first experiences with tomatoes didn’t reap much success.

So, I browsed the market  and eventually  stopped to ask the vendor about what the plants required for care. He made it sound so easy that I bought all three varieties  — it was a better deal at $8 per plant or 3 for $20. The man says I’ll have bigger and better berries when the plants do produce if I grow all three. But it will be at least two years before any fruit appears. These are 2-year-old plants and it will take another two years before they’re mature enough to bear fruit.

blueberries

Here’s what I’ve got:

• Bluecrop: This mid-season highbush gets high marks for fruit production and disease resistance. The leading commercial blueberry plant in the world, Bluecrop produces large, flavorful fruit.
• Duke: A highbush classic, Duke plants are known for their high production of sky blue berries. This early season variety grows upright and turns yellow-orange in the fall.
• Bluejay: Medium to large berries with a very high sugar content are perfect for making pies and jams. This is a good variety to freeze; the flavor keeps well even after months in the freezer. Plants are slightly smaller than traditional blueberry plants but are covered with berries.

The small plant look like twigs now but I’m assured they’ll grow into nice bushes. In this first year, they’ll get lots of new shoots and bloom out, sort of looking like a spirea or similar bush. When I picked blueberries several years ago, I remember liking that the bushes were fairly tall and picking didn’t include brambles and squatting like it does for blackberries or raspberries. We’ll see how I feel about them once the fruit comes on.

I’ve planted the bushes along my back fence in some direct morning sun and dappled afternoon shade. I built the beds thinking I’d fill them in this spring but maybe that won’t be necessary. A few annuals for color and plenty of watering should make these blueberry bushes grow.

Maybe I can trade blueberries for grapes from my neighbor, Heidi. She’s a fine gardener with a small grape arbor in the backyard. We both share a love of zinnias, too.

Gardeners use rain gauges to measure weekly rainfall.

Normally I’d have had time to plant a few more spring bulbs, divide my lilies and clean up any shaggy plants before they go dormant for winter. Not so this year.

I’m hopeful that Saturday’s forecast doesn’t include any more rain. The lilies are really out of control and I need to get to them before spring.

The only upside to all this rain: the lawn is fabulously green and most of the trees have brilliant color. We’ve still got most of the leaves on our maple in the backyard. Oh, and I’ve still got a dozen blooms on my rose bushes, but the rain last night likely knocked off all the petals.

Fallen leaves in my front yard

My back yard is still fairly lush and green and most of the plants I’ve added this summer are going to add variations of green to my landscape. Seldom do I plant for fall color.

I chose plants that would bloom in early spring and continue through the summer. I guess I chose well because my rose bushes are still blooming and the zinnias also have plenty of flowers despite the cooler temperatures this week.

The front yard is another story. I added sedum to the bed around the lamp post, but that’s the only fall color there. And the grass is still fairly green as well, despite being covered in fallen maple leaves.

My neighbors have some trees with vibrant color already and this makes me think I need to vary my landscape and choose plants that add interest all year. Maybe a red twig dogwood will be my next big purchase.

Red twig dogwoods

I really do like the red twig dogwood but I’m trying to add plants that are more native to Missouri. I know dogwoods are good options since they’re the state tree but I don’t know about any of the variations of this species.

A couple other concerns: Do I have the right location and soil conditions for this plant? I have a great spot that needs a small tree or shrub but it’s also a spot that tends to flood when heavy rains hit. The water drains fairly quickly but it could make for soggy soil and wet roots for plants.

I’m still trying to figure out what’s best for the yard and for the plants. I know that some plants like wet roots and others don’t. Some research is necessary it seems.

I became a huge fan of the lasagna gardening method after reading a book by Patricia Lanza. The basic premise is that you build a new bed by layering in nutrients that decompose over time. The bottom layer is wet newsprint, followed by a layer of hummus or organic matter (I like chopped leaves) and then some peat. If you’re planning to plant right away, you can top with soil.

I like this method because it does eliminate weeds later on. And, I don’t have to much digging at the outset. I used it at our condo/townhouse on Holly Ridge when I planted my roses and other flowers, and I used it often in Cape Girardeau at my garden there.

So, I’m hoping to build a new bed in the cul-de-sac so it helps beautify the neighborhood. If I can find some decent prices on dirt, I’ll have a nursery drop a load in the circle.

I certainly hope that my garden could turn out as well as those that Lanza mentions in her books. I’m thinking that I’ll even try the lasagna method in my vegetable garden plot this coming spring.

A few of the ones I’d like to add to my garden:

• snowdrop windflower
• pirates patch tiarella
• thalia daffodil
• white fritalaria
• snow white trillium
• Tennesee white iris

While these are on top on my wish list, at the top of my list of chores is dividing the tiger lilies by the side of the garage. Perhaps I’ll get to that task on Saturday afternoon.

My coworker is supposed to bring me more lilies — she’s also dividing hers — but I’ve got plans for those to fill in the circle around the tree in our cul-de-sac. I just need to get busy and get the flowerbeds ready for planting.

And to get things ready, I need to build a lasagna garden.

I like this method because it does eliminate weeds later on and, I don’t have to much digging. A few wet newspapers, some chopped leaves and a little bit of peat or humus and you’re set to garden.

I’m hoping to build a new bed in the cul-de-sac later this fall so it helps beautify the neighborhood. And it will give me something pretty to look at every day.

We planted grass seed about two weeks ago with some hope that it would sprout, but not truly expecting it.

But, we’ve been surprised. Tiny shoots popped up a week ago, but I figured that birds or pets would wipe them out. Not so.

Recent rains and some cooler weather seems to have helped the seeds along. We’re trying to add the grass nearest the patio in the backyard. The idea is that the grass will help with some erosion problems we’ve had there. I guess we’ll have to wait for the spring rains to see if the theory holds true.