Much of what Colorado gardeners do from now through February is getting the garden ready for next year. Here are some things to consider.

Cleanup

• Discard fallen, spoiled or mummified fruits to reduce insect and disease carryover.

• Prune and remove dead, diseased or damaged branches from shrubs and trees. Winter is an excellent time to prune and shape trees. Once the tree is bare of leaves, the “true” shape can be seen. Prune broken branches and those that cross over one another. Do not prune spring- flowering trees and shrubs in the fall.

• Remove frost-killed annuals.

• Depending on your garden style, leave plants standing until spring or cut back perennial stalks 4 to 6 inches. Leave ornamental grasses as they add winter interest. Birds will appreciate dried seed heads from many plants, and beneficial insects might find habitat in standing plants.

• Mow or rake fallen leaves from the lawn. Keep them on the garden beds to trap winter moisture and provide mulch, unless you have a vole or mouse problem. Shred dry leaves by running over them with the mower. If you can, compost leaves on your property to retain nutrients.

Protect

• Check depth of mulch on flower beds. A 2- to-3-inch layer of mulch will protect perennial beds.

• While mulch is good, keep it pulled back several inches from the base of fruit trees to prevent bark injury from mice and other rodents.

• Protect ornamental and fruit trees from rabbit damage by wrapping or enclosing in wire screen.

• Colorado’s winter sun can be intense. To protect against sunscald on young thin-barked trees, purchase commercial tree wraps made of crepe paper to insulate the bark.

• Strawberries usually go dormant when nighttime temperatures reach 20 degrees. They require a 3-inch covering of mulch.

• In late November, after several nights of 20-degree weather, protect and insulate the graft union of hybrid, floribunda and miniature rose bushes by mounding soil around the plants and adding mulch on top. Cut back tall rose canes to 24 inches to prevent winter breakage. Don’t prune climbing roses this time of year.

• Garden pools also need protection from freezing. To lessen the chance of ice damage, cover the pool with insulated material or float a stock-tank water heater in the pond.

Winterwise

• Over the coming months when the weather is nice, look for opportunities to work in your garden and reduce the amount of work next spring.

• Newly planted trees and shrubs will require extra water over winter, especially if we don’t have moisture. To keep your landscape alive with the least amount of winter damage, water once a week when the temperature is over 40 degrees.

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