It’s early November and winter weather has arrived!
On this Horticulture Day edition of Talk of Iowa, host Charity Nebbe talks with horticulture specialists Richard Jauron and Cindy Haynes about preparing your yard and garden for winter.They talk covering the strawberries, prepping the roses, and getting ready to fend off hungry bunnies. Later in the hour, Jauron and Haynes answer listener questions.
Strawberries typically need to be covered with 4-5 inches of straw around mid-November. Perennials such as asparagus can be left alone until late March or early April. For roses, protection depends on the variety.
"The shrub roses, those hardy roses, you really don't have to do much," Haynes says. "With the hybrid tea roses, what I usually recommend is tying up those canes a bit, putting a mound of soil or compost at the base of the plant, because that's what you're trying to protect... and then putting some straw or dried leaves on top of that."
If you're still hoping to plant bulbs, it's not too late! As long as the ground hasn't frozen, Jauron recommends getting them in the ground before Thanksgiving.
