Opportunities for Productive Activity in the Yard Continue

After the pansies are planted, weeds banished from the lawn, old mulch raked away from under the ornamental shrubs and fresh mulch spread in its place, what is left for the outdoor-work-loving homeowner to do? It turns out that there are plenty of excuses to be outside on beautiful winter days ahead!

The UGA Extension publication "Fall Gardening: A Collection of Information and Resources" includes some activities that should already have been completed back in September and October, such as planting fall vegetable crops and treating fire ant mounds, but it also includes activities for November and December.

These later-season activities include managing fallen leaves, improving vegetable garden soil, and taking care of the tools you rely on all the rest of the year.

Managing Fallen Leaves

County Extension Agent Paul Pugliese suggests rounding up all those leaves and, instead of bagging them to be  placed on the curb for hauling away, processing them to make mulch for your gardens. He says, "Large, whole leaves tend to get blown around and don’t stay within their landscape bed boundaries. The key to successfully using leaves for mulch is to shred them with a lawn mower, bagging attachment or leaf shredder so that they won’t blow away."

Newly planted trees and shrubs (planting is another great activity for the winter!) will benefit from having this shredded leaf mulch spread in a "donut" shape around their bases. Pugliese explains: "Mulch will help roots of newly planted trees and shrubs acclimate to the cold faster while they are becoming established this winter."

Improving Vegetable Garden Soil

Extension Vegetable Specialist Bob Westerfield says that, when he first started gardening, he used to just let his garden soil "lay idle throughout the fall and winter. I now know that is about the worst thing a gardener can do."

He says that leaving residues of old crops in the garden can provide a safe harbor for pests and diseases, so removing those is an essential task for gardeners who are hoping for successful crops next year. In addition, Westerfield says that this is the time to really pay attention to the soil and take additional steps that can help build the soil and decimate pests.

These are some steps Westerfield takes to improve his garden soil:

"If it isn’t too wet, I till the garden to expose any insects, nematodes and soil pathogens to the cool, dry weather. This is a perfect time to add amendments such as compost or other organic matter like manures. Sometimes I spread fallen tree leaves over the garden and till them in. They break down quickly into rich organic matter. Shred the leaves first under the lawn mower or in a chipper and they will break down even faster."

Protecting Your Tools

UGA News Editor Sharon Dowdy's section about taking care of tools pulls together suggestions from  Extension Specialists Bob Westerfield and Tony Johnson. Westerfield and Johnson agree that taking care of tools is important, partly because tools can be expensive to replace, and partly because a good once-over now can reduce unpleasant surprises in spring, of finding broken handles, dulled edges, or rust damage.

Here is part of the checklist they've provided:

Tiller and Mower

• Empty the garden tiller of fuel or add a fuel stabilizer.
• Check the spark plugs, change the oil and clean the air filter.
• Clean the underside of the mower’s deck with a pressure washer and scrape off any old grass and debris.

Shovels, Hoes and Other Tools

• Thoroughly clean all tools with soap and water.
• Sharpen blades.
• Clean metal parts with steel wool, wipe dry and apply a light coat of household oil.
• To save time in the spring, sharpen tool edges.
• Smooth wooden handles by sanding them with sand paper. Then coat handles in linseed oil or paint them to preserve the wood.
• Store all rakes with the teeth pointing down. Stepping on an exposed rake can be dangerous for children and adults.

Dowdy's section of the "Fall Gardening" publication also includes Westerfield and Johnson's maintenance suggestions for irrigation systems, tomato cages, and sprayers.

For the complete checklist, and for complete sections about fallen leaves and vegetable garden care, see the Fall Gardening publication.

Winterizing Trees

Kim Coder, professor of Tree Biology and Health Care with UGA's Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, has published a list of steps homeowners can take to help insure that their trees make it safely through the winter dormant season.

The list has been posted on the Landscape Alert blog of UGA's Cooperative Extension. This is Coder's “Top 10 List” of things you can do to winterize your trees:

1. Remove or correct structural faults and deadwood that are clearly visible. Try to make small pruning cuts that minimize the exposure of the central heartwood core on branches.
2. Properly prune branches that will touch the ground when loaded with rain and snow. Foliage and branches that are in contact with soil can invite undesirable pests and problems.
3. Remove damaged and declining twigs, branches, and bark. Do not leave pests food and shelter for the winter.
4. Remove any new sprouts that have grown at the tree base, or along stems and branches. Pruning should conserve as many living branches as possible with only a few selective cuts.
5. Spread a thin layer of composted organic mulch to blanket the soil. Cover an area at least as large as the branch spread. Mulch is nature’s of recycling valuable materials, but be careful of pests hitching a ride.
6. Properly wrap new trees that have not developed a corky bark and could be easily damaged. Mechanical injury from the environment, including chewing and rubbing by animals, must be prevented.
7. Aerate soils if they are compacted and poorly drained. It is critical not to damage tree roots in the soil. Saturated and dense soil can suffocate roots.
8. Fertilize with all the essential elements, if they are in short supply within the soil. Be sure to go lightly with nitrogen, especially under large, mature trees and around newly planted trees.
9. Watering may be needed where soils are cool but not frozen, and there has been little precipitation. Winter droughts need treatment with water the same as summer droughts, except it is much easier to over-water in winter.

About Cobb County's Burn Ban

Along with the beautiful fall color we've been enjoying for the past few weeks comes the work of clearing away a lot of fallen leaves and sometimes twigs and small branches. Some people prefer to rid their yards of the debris by raking it all into a pile and burning it to ashes.

The good news for all those folks is that burning such debris is allowed from the beginning of October through the end of April. The website for Cobb County's Fire and Emergency Services explains the laws regarding outdoor burning:

• "Burning is allowed between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and one hour before sunset (no smoldering or hot coals remaining).
• No burning is allowed on windy days (10 mph or higher) or on days when the atmospheric conditions (cloudy, overcast, or raining) would cause the smoke to remain low to the ground.
• Burning must be attended by an adult who must be watching the fire at all times. Never leave a fire unattended.
• A water hose must be on hand that can reach the fire, and can be ready to use if needed.
• Fires must be at least 50 feet from all structures, including fences of combustible material, etc.
• Fires may not be started with petroleum-based products."

The site also lists materials that may not be burned in the yard, including "garbage of any kind, construction material, plastic products, fiberglass, tree trunks, stumps, kudzu vines, or corn stalks. Any material that is moved from one location to a different property cannot be burned. Burning for recycling wires (to access metal) or tires (to access wheels) is not allowed. For information regarding alternative methods to dispose of yard waste, contact the Georgia Environmental Protection Division at 404-362-2537."

Following the rules does not guarantee that a homeowner won't be visited by the local fire department with a request to put the fire out. If a fire disrupts a neighbor's "enjoyment of life, use of property, or if someone with a health problem is affected," the fire may need to be extinguished.

Also, there are areas within the county in which burning is completely restricted. For more complete information, including links to maps that show those restricted areas, check the Fire Department's webpage about the burn ban.

November 2016 UPDATE:
The burn ban has been temporarily extended for 2016. See new information at "Cobb Fire Dept Extends Burn Ban Due to Drought."