Winter is coming: Seasonal tasks prepare gardens for cold weather

With fall in full swing, there are plenty of tasks to keep gardeners busy.

Bob Burton, grower at Culver's Garden Center and Greenhouse in Marion, offers the following tips to get gardens ready for winter.

Pruning dos and don'ts

Any soft-tissued perennials, such as day lilies, irises or hostas can be cut down now. Harder plants like Russian sage, ornamental grasses and hibiscus should be left and cut down in the spring.

Burton doesn't suggest trimming shrubs at this time of year, nor should gardeners prune spring-blooming bushes or trees like forsythia or lilacs.

Roses

Roses also shouldn't be pruned until spring. However, do take away leaves and throw them in the trash, rather than the compost. Don't let leaves drop and remain on the ground. They can have powdery mildew at this time of year that could be a problem if not discarded properly.

To help roses survive the winter, mound soil about 12 inches up over the base of the plant and fill in the mound with leaves or straw.

Bulbs

As fall progresses, this is a good time to start planting bulbs like tulips, Dutch iris, daffodils and hyacinths.

Evergreens

It's still early, but make a note to spray an anti-transpirant like Wilt Pruf on evergreens around Thanksgiving. Ideally spray a couple of times throughout the winter, preferably on a warmer day. Anti-transpirants help preserve and protect plants from drying out too quickly, especially during temperature extremes and drying winds.

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Culver's Garden Center and Greenhouse makes outdoor living dreams come to life. Stroll through the gardens, nursery, greenhouse and gift shop for inspiration and see why Culver's grown plants are 'Bigger Blooming and Better Performing!'

1682 Dubuque Rd., Marion; (319) 377-4195; Culverslandscape.com