Preparing The Garden For Winter:

Are you like me? Sad to see the summer end but at the same time relieved that there is one less task to tend to. Wing, wg, prug, and m wing is over for this year and w a few m chs the outdoor deg year draws to a close. Most of what ns to be completed is a matter of cleag up and coveg up.

Practical steps to prepag y outdoor den for ter involve:

1. Protecting nts. There different opinions concerg whether to cut down or le nts standing through the ter. Here on the prairies most people le their perennials standing for a variety of reasons. In particular, trapping the snow cover is important for protection of nts and retaig moisture. Snow cover acts the same as good mulch by insulating the l. Many perennial stems and s heads also very attractive for ter irest and provide food for the birds. After the ground fzes, mulch perennials and shrub beds w pine nles, compost, peat moss, or chopped les. This protects the l and nt roots and moders the effects of exme temperature changes dug ter periods of fzes and thaws.

2. Cleag-up the den. Harvest warm-season crops such as tomatoes even though they still gn. Lie out on dowsills; or layer in boxes w newspapers between the layers of tomatoes. They will slowly ripen or you can use gn tomatoes for fried gn tomatoes or various gn tomato recipes. Pull out any remaig crops or spent annuals; clean up remaig debris and ws to decrease the possibility of disease problems in the spg.

3. Evaluating y den design. Bef you start terizing y den, take a few minutes to review what worked and what didn't and make note of any as that you would like to change in the spg.

4. Prep the l for early spg sing. Turn over the den l l in the season while amending w organic matter such as les, compost, or well-rotted manure. In the spg, a light raking is all that is ned.

5. Cag for ts and lawns. Protect the tender bark of young ts from rabbits and gnag critters by wrapping stems or trunks w chicken wire or commercial t-guard products. To prevent rodents from nesting near buildings and ts, trim tall grass, and remove ws. Deeply wr ts and shrubs so that they go into ter well hydrd. Don't prune shrubs and ts as it may stimul new growth just bef the harsh weather. Cut lawns and fertilise if you wish w a low nitrogen 'ter' blend. Use grass clippings for mulch or compost. Never send them to the dfill, as they excellent fertiliser left on the lawn (if they not too long) and/or make terrific compost/mulch dug straight into the den or used for pathways. Once rotted on den pathways, dig into the den and rece w new grass clippings.

6. Pting bef ter. Now is the time to nt bulbs. Garden cens carry many varieties suitable for the prairies. Remember: buy good quality as cheap is not better - the larger the bulb - the larger the bloom. Look for plumpness, firmness, clean skin, and surface. Directions for nting included w the package.

7. Composting. Compost dead nt debris including les. Les a valuable natural resce. Rather than a nuisance, they the best l amendment as well as terrific mulches. Les take very little effort to recycle into a wonderful l conditioner - leaf mould - for the yard and den. You can make leaf mould by the same process nature does. Pile up moist les and wait for them to decompose or shred the les into smaller pieces bef piling them up. If you wish, you can enclose the pile w chicken wire, snow fencing, or something similar. In the spg, I rake up dry les and dig them straight into the vegetable den.

8. Cleag y tools. Clean the l from all y deg tools, oil any wooden handles and moving parts, sharpen any blades, and then st them in a dry ce for the ter.

9. Wr Gardeg. Bg in pumps, drain, clean, refill (if necessary) and st tender wr nts prior to fzing.

10. Bging in y indoor nts. Bef bging in any housents that h spent the summer outdoors, examine them for critters, wash them, and spray w soapy wr or insecticidal soap. Use sterilised potting l purchased from den cens or shopping malls if re-potting y nts. Don't use den l as it may harb insects, w ss, disease, and fungi.