Clean Up

Never compost any diseased plants.  Bag and dispose of them instead.

Pruning & Deadheading Cautions

Wait until early May to prune Russian sage (Perovskia otriplicifolia) and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia).  Most flowering shrubs do not respond well to fall pruning. This is because it sends a signal to the plant to put on new growth at a time when it needs to move toward winter dormancy.

Bulb Reminders

Don't divide fall blooming perennials until spring.

Spring blooming bulbs can be planted as late as mid-December, as long as the soil is not frozen yet. Generally, spring bulbs need just 6 weeks of "chill" to bloom in spring.

Two great reference books worth owning...

1)The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSaboto-Aust

2) Fallscaping: Extending your garden season into Autumn by Nancy Ondra and Stephanie Cohen