Time for putting the garden to bed

Although the growing season for plants above the ground is over for this year, remember that the roots of most plants continue to grow right up until the ground freezes in late November. Bulbs, trees and shrubs exhibit tremendous root growth between mid-October and the end of November.

Here are some timely tips for your home landscape.

Lawns: This is not a good time to fertilize your lawn or try to plant grass seed, but lime may be applied at any time. Bring a sample of soil to your local Cornell Cooperative Extension office to test and they will tell you exactly how much lime, if any, to apply. A few hard freezes will kill the crabgrass which allows you to see how much of it you have, instead of more desirable turf grasses. You may apply broad leaf weed killers for weeds such as dandelions, ground ivy and others if the daytime temperature is over 50 and night temperatures are in the 40s. Mow fallen leaves into mulch and leave grass at 2.5 inches or even longer for the winter. It is important to try to prevent fallen leaves from smothering the grass.

Annuals: Pull spent annuals and scatter seeds, some may volunteer next year i.e. impatiens, petunia, calendula, cleome, zinnia etc. Snapdragons may overwinter as may pansies; geraniums may be saved as houseplants or stored in the basement. Some herbs, such as rosemary, are quite hardy and may survive in a cold room or porch as long as they get some sunlight.

Bulbs: Dig up gladiolas, canna, dahlia, tuberous begonias, allow them to dry out at room temperature and store in dry peat moss in a cool basement.

The little bulbils that are attached to gladiolas corms may be separated and planted next year, but they need several years of growth to mature into flowering size corms. You can still plant spring flowering bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, crocus, winter aconite, alliums and snowdrops but cover the plantings with two or three inches of mulch.

Biennials: Scatter seeds of hollyhocks, honesty and other biennials. Pull out spent plants and compost the debris.

Perennials: Cut back the tops to 2 or 3 inches, remove all spent debris,

apply 2-3 inches bark or woodchip mulch when the ground freezes in late November, store wood chip or bark mulch where it will not freeze solid. It is getting too late to transplant or divide perennials.

Vegetables: Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, carrots and parsnips all taste better after several frosts. Spinach and carrots as well as parsnips may overwinter if mulched with 3 to 4 inches of clean straw. Clean up the garden and remove all debris, sterilize

tomato cages with a mild bleach solution, (2 cups bleach in a gallon of water) wash gourds and pumpkins with mild bleach solution also, cure winter squash at 75 degrees for 2 weeks then store at 40 degrees and dry. Eat your acorn squash first, butternut squash usually stores longer with no loss of quality.

Shrubs: Do not prune spring flowering shrubs now! Remove dead wood anytime, root prune shrubs now that will be transplanted next year.

Roses: Shrub roses, wait until mid December to cut back to 3 or 4 main canes, cut at 12 inches, hill

up unfrozen soil around base of grafted types (not leaves or chips) climbers: cut back to 6 feet, bundle canes and wrap in burlap, lay down on ground if possible

Trees: Prune only dead or injured wood now. This is not a good time to prune trees in general. Fertilize ailing trees around Thanksgiving, using one pound 5-10- 10 per inch of circumference measured at 4.5 feet above the ground.