Each year from neighbors and colleagues I get mulched leaves in bags. A relative gives me a bale of straw. These items plus "homemade" compost forms the basis of winter protection for our garden.
I do see the caveat that one not apply materials such as leaves and straw until after the ground has frozen.
What are the reasons for this?
(I am thinking that rodents might be attracted to such loose litter to use as a home/shelter but might have gone elsewhere if it wasn't applied till after the cold temps had set it in?)
When and what do you use for extra protection around any of your perennials?
Protection (only) after freeze has happened?
Rouge,
This is not your first year mulching w/leaves, etc?
I am planning to use leaf mulch (shredded w/lawn mower) to put around my garden, in particular some of the flowers that are more tender/need that extra mulch to make it thru the winter. I read it's important not to cover plants as more people end up smothering. But people seem "
I have alot of starter plants this year and they are young or bareroots with tiny sprouts this fall...so I am also very interested in hearing what others use and how they do it successfully.
I like using more shredded leaves (rather than whole ones) as they naturally breakdown much more quickly when exposed to the elements. But I do supplement with straw and home made compost.
But I am just wondering about the suggestion to not do this protection till one gets consistently freeing temperatures.
I use shredded pine mulch, and apply it as I have time during the fall months. I do it to conserve moisture, keep the weeds down, prevent fast extreme changes in temps, and to prevent heaving.
I don't smother the crowns, and I don't pile it up around roses and other vulnerable plants. I think that's what has to wait until the plant is fully dormant, so they don't rot. That kind of extra mulching should be removed by the time the plants come out of dormancy- when the Forsythia bloom, some say, or when new tree leaves are the size of a mouse's ears.
I hope this helps!
"I think that's what has to wait until the plant is fully dormant, so they don't rot".
Thanks for that Pam...good point
Rouge,
I came across article today about winter prep and it mentioned the reason for mulching after the ground is frozen is to prevent frost heaves when the ground melts and refreshes over and over....which would disturb the plants root system
I read that too. So for rouge in zone 5 it might be a good idea to mulch after the first hard freeze.. Do you have frost heave problems? Here I just have 'mole heave' problems. I think mulching would make it worse!
I'd rather have frost heaves than mole heaves!
II am in zone 5 also but never noticed frost heaves per se
I do so much re-arranging in my perennial beds in the fall it's a safety measure against heaving, which is a real danger for plants without established root systems. But I mulch the same way from spring on for weed suppression and moisture retention.
Pam
What do you use for mulch?
Shredded pine.
'valal', you had written "and it mentioned the reason for mulching after the ground is frozen is to prevent frost heaves"
I must be missing something obvious as I think I can imagine that lots of fall mulch (+ snow) might minimize temperature swings in the soil around the roots but I still dont see why this phenomenon is reduced by applying leaves etc after the ground appears frozen. (In fact for many of us, even in a 5 or "colder" zone it might be well into winter before such a below ground freeze takes place).
Rouge, what I've read is that mulching keeps the root zone too warm and prevents plants from going into winter dormancy. If they're not fully dormant, they're more likely to be damaged when the really cold weather hits. But if you wait until after the ground has frozen, the extra layer of mulch isn't enough to bring something out of dormancy.
I have no idea if that's true, though, and it's not advice that I can follow here in zone 7a. Sometimes the ground doesn't freeze here, or it freezes and thaws throughout winter, so I can't wait for the ground freeze before mulching. I just end up mulching whenever I think of it in the fall.
Thanks ssgardener. That does make sense ie delaying winter dormancy wouldnt be good for the plant. (Although then I think of all the leaf litter that comes down in a forest, before things are dormant).
I still think that rule applies to extra heavy mulching, like protecting roses, where you build it up around the graft and canes. If they aren't dormant they could rot.
Otherwise I mulch pretty much year round, and have no problems in my zone 5.
Thanks all. It has got me thinking.
(I have many bags of shredded leaves just waiting to be spread about.)
rouge, maybe you could do a little experiment and share the results with us, as nobody seems to know for sure- spread the mulch on half the beds now, and half later, and next year it will be obvious if it mattered at all. This might be one of those things that made a difference in a particular climate zone, and the advice became general, without anyone checking it out. Or it may be a true old wives tale, like "an apple a day"...