Make sure you’re getting it all done and doing it right with this handy checklist of garden chores to perform in Iowa after the first frost.
Pull Up All Annuals
Pitch on the compost heap. If plants are diseased, dispose of in a different way to prevent pathogens from being spread around your garden with the compost.
Cut Back Perennials
Cut back any perennials damaged by the frost, but leave those up that have interesting shapes and seedheads, especially sedums and ornamental grasses. Leave purple-coneflower seedheads up for the goldfinches. You can also cut back perennials in the early spring if you want, but you might as well get at least started on the task now. The job will go faster and easier with a power hedge trimmer. You can buy an electric one starting at around $40 and going up from there depending on the model and the brand. If you have a substantial amount of trimming to do trimmers make the job a breeze.
Start A Compost Pile
If you don’t already have a compost pile, start one. Or better yet, several. (I have five!) It’s a great way to dispose of yard waste in an environmentally friendly way and compost is the ideal fertilizer and soil amendment.
Too Much Yard Waste?
If you have a lot of branches and yard waste—more than any compost pile or two could hold—pile it up in the driveway. Haul it to a yard waste facility yourself, or call any landscape company or tree service to do it for you.
Save Your Tender Plants
After the first frost, dig up and store indoors any tender bulbs, such as gladiolus, cannas, dahlias, and caladiums, that you want to store over the winter.
Pot Patrol
Empty all pots and store indoors for the winter. In Iowa’s harsh winters, even plastic containers will crack and clay pots will definitely shatter.
Keep On Weeding
Get weeds now and you’ll save yourself work in spring.
Other Links Of Interest:
Preparing Your Garden for Winter
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