Weekend Gardener: Cleaning Up the Garden

Here's some weekend gardening advice from Laura Stone:

Clean up the garden by removing all trellises, stakes, and plant debris.  Compost healthy plants or leave in the garden to be plowed into the soil.  Dispose of diseased plants away from the garden site to prevent overwintering of diseases.

The survival rate of plants is dramatically improved when planting takes place in October or November. It lets the root system become established during the winter months. Even though above ground the plants may appear to be dormant (and they are) the underground roots are active, growing deeper into the soil to make a stronger healthier plant for years to come. 

Chopped autumn leaves make wonderful mulch piled around perennials or heaped onto empty vegetable beds.

Most of all, put your garden to bed before Sandy arrives.