Late season tips

Don't quit with the yard work just yet! Still a lot to do, and here are some ideas:

1. Prune back all herbaceous perennial plants that have died back and remove all the plant material to the TRASH or burn. You can leave foliage on until spring but here are the issues: plant tissue is likely dry now and easy to handle vs. wet and slimy in the spring. And - any plant disease/insect eggs you may have had are more likely to spread if left till it all hatches out in the spring. Yes, plants can 'catch' a little winter snow - but better to remove and add winter mulch instead.
2. Continue to water ..........this is a recording.
3. Rake or pull off all vegetables plants and leftover fruits, destroy! Till the garden as late as possible - like November. This will expose more insect eggs that are buried away to kill them. Whether you notice them or not, insect eggs are on your fruits (yes, cucumbers are fruits) and plants, as well as disease. Ever notice how you get fruit flies in your house? Eggs on the bananas you brought home. Or what makes that tomato rot on the counter? Spores!
4. Prune back summer flowering shrubs. DO NOT prune spring flowering shrubs this late like lilac. Lilac like most flowering shrubs, set their buds for the next year shortly after flowering. Pruning lilacs now will remove their flower buds for next year. Sometimes we need to prune and sacrifice a year anyway.
5. Good time to prune deciduous trees as well. You can see the framework better when the leaves have fallen. Never prune more than 1/4 of a tree in a season. (1 year period) 
6. Evergreens; not a good time to prune the overall tree, however, I do prune off the lower branches in Dec. to use indoors for decorating. Keeping your evergreens pruned a few feet off the ground will reduce it's chance for disease issues caused by poor circulation, especially on Blue Spruce. Blue Spruce are native to arid mountain regions, not humid summer conditions like we often experience. Air flow is essential to maintain healthy evergreens.
7. There, now you have a few things to keep you busy until I get back from vacation in 2 weeks or more. I do more in depth postings in the winter as I have more time during the 'off season,' so stay tuned in. I welcome your plant questions! See you soon.........   

A few terms;

1.  Herbaceous Perennials: perennials that die all the way back to the ground every year, and from the crown, bulb or rhizome - grow a completely new plant every year. ie: daylily, asiatic liliy, mums.
2. Woody Perennials: plants like flowering shrubs, that die back to a woody framework. ie: Russian Sage, hydrangea.
3. Deciduous Trees: Trees that are also 'woody perennials' that lose their leaves in the fall.
4. Evergreen Trees: Trees that shed some leaves (yes, needles are leaves) but maintain the majority of their leaves year round - this is why fall watering is critical for evergreens!