Pat Munts – “Putting your garden to bed”

Fall is a beautiful time of changing colors and cooler temperatures. It is also a time to address the needs of your garden for the winter. We were honored to have Pat Munts join us a second time this year for a great presentation about “Putting your garden to bed”. Pat, as a master gardener and a local resident, had some great tips for getting your garden winter ready. Here are just two:

• A well-known myth in the area is that pine needles are too acidic and should not be used to mulch your garden. They are actually a great addition to your mulch pile but you only need to remember to chop them into smaller pieces before including them. If you have them, use them and it will save you the need to haul them away. As with most yard and garden clippings they can be beneficial.
• The age-old question of “do I trim my plants in the fall or do I gather the old stems in the spring?” The birds love the old flower heads and will survive thru the winter season moving first to their favorites, then to their least liked until the new spring arrives supplying them with a fresh bounty. Leaving them will also supply nutrients to the ground as the plant breaks down.

We had a great time hearing all the tips and suggestions from Pat and we were so appreciative that she came to share her expertise with us. Pat’s newest gardening book, co-authored with Susan Mulvihill, “The Northwest Gardeners Handbook” is available at the INLC offices for $25 and would make an excellent Christmas gift for the gardener in your life. You can gain Pat’s insights again in the spring, check our website at www.inlandnwland.org or follow us on Facebook for the date as spring nears.