End of Season Garden Tips
End of season gardening is a time for caring for your plants as the growing season slows. Proper gardening at this time of year should encompass removing plant foliage that attracts pests and caring for plants as they approach the coming dormant season.
- Remove dying plants from the garden, and remove any distressed leaves from plants. Dead plants attract pests such as aphids and beetles that can spend the winter in the foliage. If any plant is noticeably diseased, then the whole plant should be discarded for fear of the whole garden becoming infected. Besides trimming any distressed leaves, dead flower heads and stems should also be trimmed. Thoroughly clearing any dead vegetation from your garden prevents the carryover of existing diseases into the next growing season.
- Pull up any fallow plants. You should uproot any plants that are not producing anymore, and toss them into your compost heap.
- Keep an eye on the weather for frost. Before the temperature drops below 40 F, make sure to harvest any tender crops such as tomatoes and peppers.
- Stop fertilizing the plants at the end of the season. This helps to discourage new growth and helps the plant focus its energies on its existing vegetables instead of blooming new ones.
- Foliage should be sprayed at least once a month. Spray any blooms and foliage with water to combat black spots. If you notice an infestation of mites or aphids, spray the plants with soapy water.
- Pot your more delicate plants and flowers. This helps provide protection for plants that cannot bear the cold.
- Replace old mulch in your garden to help maintain a higher soil temperature.