1. All houseplants need to be brought inside before the first frost. Connecticut had a frost over the weekend; if your houseplants aren’t inside, make a note on your calendar for next year.
2. Pot up tulips, hyacinths and other pre-chilled bulbs and store in a cool, dark place until ready to force.
3. Rosemary is not hardy in most areas of Connecticut. Bring plants in before temperatures drop too low but check plants thoroughly for mealybugs.
4. Plant shallots and garlic outdoors.
5. Beets, parsnips, and carrots can be covered with a thick layer of straw or leaves and left in the ground for harvest, as needed, during the winter
6. Mulch perennial beds using a loose organic material such as bark chips or leaves to keep down weeds, preserve moisture and give roots a longer time to grow before the soil freezes.
7. Avoid the spring rush and have your soil tested now by the UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory.
8. Add a touch of fall to your home and landscape with hardy mums, asters and fall pansies.
9. If rain is lacking, continue to thoroughly water trees, shrubs, planting beds and lawn areas and recently planted evergreens. Plants should go into the winter well-watered.
10. As tomatoes end their production cut down plants and pick up any debris and put in the trash or take to a landfill. Many diseases will over-winter on old infected leaves and stems so these are best removed from the property.

 

For more information, please contact the UConn Home & Garden Education Center at ladybug@uconn.edu or 877-486-6271.