Fall Garden Clean-Up

With colder winters and the rainy season upon our gardens, all non-evergreen plant material is dying off and will soon be ready to be cut back. The extent of fall clean-up required is determined by the kind of garden you grow, the concerns you and/or your neighbour may have in regards to your garden appearance, and the number of perennials versus evergreens.

Doing a big fall clean-up might not be as necessary as once thought. Less is more in your garden. Leaving some perennials and flowers standing offer wild life and habitat for over winterizing insects, perches for birds, food from seeds left behind, as well as enjoyment watching them bring life into our winter gardens. For us, there are forms, textures and colors to contemplate.

In an organically-managed garden, bugs--and lots of them--are welcome; nature will take care of itself. Come spring, migrating birds will come looking for those insects provided by your garden. Some other ways insects are beneficial is by being pollinators, predators and by increasing bio-diversity to your garden.

If perennials stalks must be cut down, you may choose to cut them in about 5” lengths and lay them on the ground of your garden bed. They will serve as mulch with fall leaves and could provide cover for over winterizing butterflies. All this important organic material will enrich your soil and you and your garden will reap the many benefits coming next spring.

The work you will want to do this fall is remove all weeds, especially invasive ones. Divide overgrown plant material, reposition or share with friends. Remove parts of grassy areas and extend your planting areas. Planting of new material or some of your divided plants from your or friends' yards. Spring bulbs are best to plant in the fall.

Some pruning and trimming for shaping and plant separation can also be done at this time. Dead and diseased limbs are not to be added to your compost.

My Living Canvas is providing sustainable human powered gardening practices, with pesticides alternative, keeping you and your neighborhood at peace naturally. Living Canvas believes in feeding the soil rather than feeding the plants. Every year before new growth erupts from the ground we add soil amender to your flower beds and lawn after being aerated. This process provides all the nutrition plants require for a healthy growing season. All the organic matter when breaking down continues to nourish as well as retain moisture in the ground.

Kindest regards,
Roberto Gaudet
My Living Canvas Organic Gardening
(604) 809.9115
mylivingcanvas.com