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garden Borders and beyond
Putting the garden to bed...
This is the last post for the garden season, as we move into winter. The rains are coming, and we have had a few killing frosts over the past week.
There are remaining chores to be done to "put the garden to bed": raking up leaves from the lawn to compost for leaf mold. I encourage folks to leave plant debris in situ in their garden beds, unless the plant is diseased. The plant debris will serve as winter mulch, and break down over the winter to nourish the soil. The debris will also provide hiding spots for beneficial insects to overwinter. Plus the additional benefit is that there will be much less organic matter to clean up in late winter as most of debris would have broken down.
If you grow dahlias or any marginally hardy plants, this is the time to dig up and store the dahlia tubers/plants in an unheated area that doesn't freeze. If you have had success overwintering the dahlias in ground in the past, then of course you can leave them be. Just remember, dahlia clumps probably will need dividing every few years, and surplus tubers can be donated for the AGC plant sale!
in the vegetable patch
Clean up your vegetable beds
The vegetable garden should be cleared of plant matter to prevent disease and pests from overwintering. Cut down the vegetable stems at the root level. The roots will break down over the winter and feed the soil. If you are not growing a fall/winter crop, cover the beds with a layer of compost or leaf mold to add nutrients back to the bed and for some winter rain protection.
The season for fall cropping can be extended by using a cold frame or a simple low tunnel with hoops and plastic. The problem with growing a fall crop in this area is too much rain at times, leading to rot. The cold frame or low tunnel can be used to control how much rain falls on the crops, as well as providing increased warmth.
For a detailed planting calendar, please refer to
- Seattle Tilth's "The Maritime Northwest Garden Guide" book
- PDF from Oregon Tilth https://tilth.org/app/uploads/2015/02/OT_PHCalendar_Archive.pdf
- Oregon extension service https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/techniques/monthly-garden-calendars
- Washington State University extension service https://extension.wsu.edu/snohomish/fall-and-winter-vegetable-gardens-for-western-washington