Q: Should I empty the huge clay pots in front of the house for the winter? They had geraniums and ivy in them this past summer. I've removed the dead plants, but should I also scoop out the soil? I plan to use them again next year.
A: The expensive clay pot you bought for the front steps should come inside into a frost-free storage area for the winter. If the pot is clay and unglazed, it has absorbed moisture and could freeze and crack as the weather gets colder. Removing the soil would make it a little lighter and easier to move. Next year, when you plant in the same containers, you will want to replace at least half of the soil. The new plants will grow better in new soil.
Q: I do have some questions that I would appreciate your advice on. My asparagus patch has not been touched and is growing quite high with its mass of yellow plume. When should I cut this plume?
Also, I have ornamental fennel with a very long root. I have used the seeds for tea and to chew on for the flavor. Can any of the other parts of this plant be used? My biggest problem with this plant is that it spreads with abandon to other areas in the garden.
I always look forward to whatever subject you address in your column. My garden has benefited from much that you have advised.
A: Your asparagus greens can be cut down to about 4 to 6 inches in the spring. Leaving the dead stalks until then will help protect the crown of the plant over the winter. In the spring, carefully cut back the stems as you clean up around the garden. Mulch with several inches of hay after the ground freezes solidly.
Your ornamental fennel sure is difficult to get rid of once it starts to ramble around the garden, and you certainly don't want to use chemicals on it if you are eating it! Sink a metal edging around the fennel, and there will be fewer escapees — and you'll have a chance to get ahead with digging and removal of unwanted roots.
All parts of the plant are usable — foliage, stems, seeds and roots are used for teas and flavorings in cooking. Did you know that in medieval times fennel was chewed, especially during Lent fasting, as an appetite suppressant?
Don't plant fennel near beans or tomatoes, as it will stunt their growth.
Q: Everyone says leaves have so many nutrients in them and should be composted. Wouldn't it be better if we left them right where they fell?
A: I'm for that, but the neighbors might complain, and grass will yellow over the winter unless the leaves are shredded.
The ideal solution would be to shred all of your leaves very fine by running over them several times with a mower — and just allowing the pieces to remain on the garden and lawn through the winter. That way, you would be recycling the plant nutrition taken by your lawn and trees instead of raking it up and putting it out in a trash bag for removal to the dump.
If leaves are shredded well, grass and plants mulched beneath them won't die or suffocate over the winter. The shredded leaves will decay and compost on-site, giving back all the nutrients the trees and lawn have used. Sounds perfect!
And if you don't have the room to compost all of your leaves and grass, at lease take them to a city compost area where they will be recycled. Don't burn them.
This week's dirt
Now is the time to empty the birdbath and scrub well. This may be the last time you have a chance to clean it before next spring.
Or, better yet, try an immersion heater in your birdbath this year. The birds will love it! By providing a water source, you will attract birds you don't usually see in the summer. Having a source of winter water doubles the chance of a bird's survival over the winter. An immersion heater won't thaw the entire birdbath, but it will keep part of the birdbath ice-free all winter long.
Operating cost is about the same as a light bulb, a few cents a day.
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North Shore Gardener by Barbara Barger of Beverly is a regular feature of Wednesday's Lifestyles section. Reach Barbara by e-mail at nsgardener @comcast.net or write to her c/o Salem News, 32 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA 01915. Previous North Shore Gardener columns can be found at www.nsgardener.com.
