Cooler weather has arrived, and the leaves are falling. Some of the best garden color of the year is here right now! Depending on what plants you have, this fall growth can last well into December and, barring a freeze, even up through Christmas.
In addition to planting pansies for winter color, camellias are known for their beautiful, waxy flowers that come in various colors, including white, pink, and red. They bloom from late fall through early spring, depending on the variety. Witch hazel produces unique, spidery flowers in shades of yellow, orange, or red from late winter to early spring. It’s a fragrant and attractive winter-blooming shrub. Hellebores, also known as lenten roses, bloom from late winter to early spring. They offer a range of colors, including white, pink, purple, and green. These hardy perennials are a great addition to winter gardens, and don’t forget their close relative the christmas rose. These are known for blooming right through the holidays. Finally, we have edgeworthia, also known as paperbush, which features fragrant yellow flowers in late winter. The blossoms are unique and resemble small paper lanterns.
With the exception of oak trees, it’s just about time to look at pruning and trimming your woody plants. Prune trees and woody shrubs while they are dormant. This includes removing dead or damaged branches and shaping plants as needed. Don’t forget to mark low hanging branches before the leaves start dropping: The reduction in weight will cause the canopy to pop up higher and make it a little more difficult to ID low hanging limbs. Avoid heavy pruning of spring-blooming shrubs, such as wisteria, as it may reduce next year’s flowers.
Once the leaves have fallen and the cold weather sets in it is time to start planting trees and woody shrubs, both evergreen and deciduous. Right now is the time to start planning and shopping for your trees and shrubs. While you’re doing this, don’t forget to start any design or planning for spring plants. Most plants are not available year-round, and planning for your spring garden may mean talking to your gardener or nurseryman to narrow down dates when certain species are best planted.
While we’re pruning and trimming, it’s also a good time to remove spent annuals and clear out dead or diseased plant material. This helps prevent pests and diseases from overwintering in your garden. Although leaf litter can create amazing compost, it’s usually not a great idea to let it pile up on your lawn. One option is to use a mulching mower to chop up the leaves and allow them to fall in-between the blades of grass. This keeps the nutrients in the soil while allowing your lawn to breathe, and it helps to reduce some fungi that can be detrimental to your lawn. Raking and composting the leaf litter is another great option if you have room. Some people prefer their garden beds to be nice and clean, but those plants still want the nutrients. A compost bin can be an effective way to maintain a neat yard and garden while providing you with nutrient dense material. Simply add a little bit before adding mulch to your beds and remember that a little goes a long way. One option that we here at Desiree Gardens prefer is to rake and place leaf litter, or allow a nice layer of leaves to build up, on a dormant garden bed. This provides excellent insulation for the roots against the cold and encourages the growth of many beneficial critters in your garden, including important pollinators such as bees.
Your spring flowering bulbs such as crocuses, tulips, and daffodils should be in the ground now. When planting spring bulbs check the soil depth requirements for each species as some prefer to be right up near the surface while others prefer to be a little deeper. This is also the time to start work on any irrigation or hardscape projects. As our gardens start to go dormant it’s a good time to do an irrigation audit and make any needed repairs. Desiree Gardens has partnered with Irrigreen, a manufacturer of custom digital spirnkler systems you can monitor from an app on your phone. To learn more about the Irrigreen systems we can install for you, visit Irrigreen.com, use the QR link below, or give us a call at 877-558-1496. It’s also a good time to make any hardscape changes or additions when plants are dormant in order to reduce damage to them.
No matter what time of year, there is always something to do in a North Texas garden. Don’t forget to refresh mulch on a regular basis, and add some compost or fertilizer from time to time. Fall doesn’t mean that your garden is done. Gardens in our area remain very active even up through December, and then we can start moving onto our winter color and activities. That means it’s a great time to start the planning process for any hardscapes or other projects you want to put in while many plants are dormant.
To learn more about the Irrigreen systems we can install for you, visit Irrigreen.com, or give us a call at 877-558-1496.
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