By Deb Zynomirski President, Dunnville Horticultural Society
The clocks are turning back, the leaves are turning colour, and the birds are turning south. All signs that autumn is well and truly upon us. While many welcome the cooler temperatures and beautiful fall colours, many others (myself included) will miss the warmth and sunny days of summer.
It’s time to start thinking of all the gardening activities that need to be done to prepare for winter. Here is list of some of the things you may be doing over the coming weeks:
1) Raking leaves
2) Fertilizing your lawn
3) Pruning your late blooming shrubs
4) Pulling out the annuals
5) Planting spring bulbs
6) Raking leaves, again!
7) Dividing and replanting perennials
8) Disassembling water fountains and pumps
9) Putting away patio furniture
10) Emptying and cleaning hummingbird feeders
11) Relocating trees and shrubs as they enter dormancy
12) Emptying hanging baskets
13) Emptying and cleaning out birdhouses
14) Raking leaves, AGAIN!
So many leaves, so much raking! You can also use a mulching blade on your lawnmower to shred your leaves and add nutrients back into your lawn, thereby minimizing yard waste. Leaving wet leaves on your lawn over winter can promote mould and mildew growth.
As a rule, I always leave the leaf litter on my flower beds for the winter. They protect tender plants and provide many nutrients for the soil as they break down. In addition, they harbour worms and many beneficial insects (including ground nesting bees) over the winter.
The Dunnville Horticultural Society will be busy with our annual Clean Up Day on October 17, 2020. We are looking for volunteers to assist in pulling the annuals and tidying up our public flower beds. We will meet at 9 a.m. at the east bridge parking lot. Bring your gloves and mask; social distancing will be observed. For more information, contact me, Deb Zynomirski, at debzyn@gmail.com or phone 416-566-9337. Happy gardening!