Scared of the garden

It seems some people are being held hostage by their gardens. They are scared to trim, scared to plant, scared to make a decision. It's a shame to be scared, even on this the eve of Halloween. But the evidence is ironclad in the questions I get.

"Kathy, I am a novice gardener. The previous owner of our home had cultivated a beautiful, mature garden. It was so very beautiful over the summer but now I don't know how to 'put everything to bed' for the winter. I have just let it all die down, as I am afraid to cut anything. What should I do?" - M.A. Chapman.

Well M.A Chapman, make like a doctor and first "do no harm." By letting most of your plants follow their own instincts and life cycles you are doing the right thing. Many perennials for instance will keep their little spines erect though the winter, providing landing pads for birds, and even some seeds for them to eat. The really big floppy ones that drive you insane can be trimmed back. Ones that turn to mush like hostas should be hoovered up and out of sight. If you have a lot of perennials in your front yard and the neighborhood style police deem it messy, you could tidy up by trimming back some of the browning flower foliage and create a diversion by sprinkling mums about. The yellow and russet tones of the mums seduce the eye quite effectively.

Other advice? As a novice gardener, don't go near any of your shrubs with a sharp object. Not just yet. Wait until after they bloom next year to prune, and only after you've read some good information about how to do it.

Empty your compost bin and spread the priceless stuff underneath important trees and shrubs and side dress your perennials with it.

Edge your flowerbeds and paths - this is an instant facelift and will make you cheerier.

And be thankful you already have a garden with plants in it - you're way ahead of so many poor souls.

Still on the subject of cleanup, Mike Z. writes:

"Kathy! Could you please give me some advice on large Scotch pine needles around my evergreens; should they be raked or left around the tree itself?"

I reckon that if Mike Z. raked up the Scotch pine needles he would be left with an expanse of dusty looking soil, and some gnarly roots. Why not leave the needles to create their own mulch? Think of those lovely golf courses in the Carolinas with groves of pines and a soft underlay of aromatic pine needles. Next year for a change up, consider planting a psychedelic grouping of impatiens in the shade of the pines. They seem to do well in such a location, with adequate water.

Also thinking about next year is Kay B. She writes:

"Dear Kathy: Would you kindly tell me when the best time is to plant spring bulbs. I would like to plant some of my bulbs in a deep, large container."

Kay, the answer is simple. As soon as you see bulbs for sale in garden centres and grocery stores, you can plant them. Most of them need a long cooling period. Daffodils should be planted in early fall, tulips are more adaptable. I have planted them as late as December in a year when the ground didn't freeze until January. Planting them in a container is usually an experiment. They will not have the same protection against the cold as they would in the ground-but plant them in as big a container as you can muster and hope for the best.

And finally, Theo S. is in a dither over a peony:

"Kathy, I recently received a peony plant from a friend (Paeonia Hybrid Sorbet - name of the peony, not the friend), but the place where I wish to plant it is not yet a garden. Is there a way to overwinter the peony safely and plant it next summer. It has come to me (the peony, not the friend) in a plastic pot, if that makes a difference."

Theo has a good sense of the absurd which will help in all gardening conundrums. She might try the pot in pot method of planting. Take the potted peony, place it in a pot (plastic) one size bigger, and plant them both in the ground-with the rims below the soil surface and mulch with a two to three inch layer of shredded pine or cedar for added insulation and be careful to water when needed. Next season Theo can lift the peony from the ground and move it to its new and final resting spot.

Autumn should be a joyful, not paralyzing time in the garden, when chores can be carried out at the stupefying pace of a World Series game. If they don't get finished, there's always next year, unless of course you're a Cubs fan.