Garden plants are dormant
in most areas of the Middle Atlantic now, so gardeners can
take a rest, too. Remember though that dormant plants are
not dead. Dormant plants are dutifully storing next year’s
garden beauty, and still need oxygen and some moisture around
their roots. Stems remaining from summer and fall perennials
are not empty, but instead sheltering insect pupae, larvae,
and even some adult insects. All will become part of the
food web when songbirds begin nesting next year. Leaves and
woody debris are critical winter shelter for birds, insects,
salamanders, and some snakes, too.
Fallen leaves are brewing a compost tea every time it
rains or snow melts.Water is carrying nutrients and beneficial |
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microorganisms from leaves back to the soil
in your garden. This is nature’s very efficient recycling
program. Only leaves in contact with soil will decay in one
season, so if you have larger piles, turn the pile periodically,
and consider shredding the leaves so they decay more quickly.
You may also mix excess leaves into your compost pile, together
with kitchen scraps (not meat, bones, etc.) and grass clippings.
When walking outside, keep looking for garlic mustard
(Allaria petiolata.) The basal foliage forms a rosette
of kidney-shaped leaves and is green throughout most of
the year. This invasive weed has white flowers in May.
If you remove some plants in winter, you help manage this
problem plant before it flowers and seeds. |
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Use colder days to update
your garden records. Make descriptive notes and diagrams
for each of your planting areas. Some gardeners like to add
photos either in scrapbook form, or as digital attachments
to software files. List plants that need to be replaced,
as well as those that will require pruning, dividing, or
relocating. Try to write a summary of any pest and disease
management you provided in the past season. When did problems
occur; which species were affected; what did you do about
it; did it work, etc.? If you keep a diary weekly, or even
monthly, you can also record which birds were in the area,
which butterflies visited, and fill in unusual weather information,
such as drought, heavy winds, record rainfall, and other
notable events. |
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