Indianapolis gardener offers winter preparation tips

Published on November 1, 2009

by Steve Mayer

Freezing temperatures halt most plant growth this month, but thankfully a few warm days remain to work on wrapping up the season.

FIRST WEEK

• Finish planting spring-flowering bulbs as soon as possible. (HO-86)
• Clear away or till dead garden plant debris into the soil to help eliminate places where pests can survive the winter.
• Keep mowing the lawn as long as the grass keeps growing or leaves keep falling. (AY-8)

SECOND WEEK

• Fertilize the lawn after growth has slowed or stopped but while it's still green using a quick-release, high-nitrogen fertilizer. This replaces the early spring fertilization. (AY-22)
• Test your garden soil's pH every three to five years. (HO-71)
• To avoid cosmetic damage like tan or brown grass blades, stay off frost on turf until the sun melts it.

THIRD WEEK

• If you want to learn more about gardening, enroll in the Master Gardener program. (HO-184)
• If you don't have enough waste to make an outdoor compost pile, try worm composting indoors. (HENV-104)
• If you plan on purchasing and planting a live Christmas tree, dig the hole before the soil freezes. Place the fill dirt in a heated area until it's needed. (HO-211)

FOURTH WEEK

• If you missed seeding earlier and if the weather cooperates, try dormant lawn seeding between Thanksgiving and the end of March. Seeds won't germinate until soil temperatures increase in spring. (AY-3, AY-20, AY-25)
• Finish tree and shrub planting. (HO-100)
• Mulch strawberry plants with straw after plants become dormant. (HO-46)

Mayer is a horticulture educator with Purdue Extension of Marion County. The numbers in parentheses in the calendar entries refer to related Purdue Extension publications. To obtain the publications, contact the Extension Office at 275-9292, e-mail marionmg@purdue.edu or visit ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/menu.htm.