Closing Time

I am an organic gardener - so all of the problem solving techniques I recommend are environmentally friendly and safe for use around children and pets, unless I state otherwise. In the meantime, let me remind you that now is that time in the fall when we have to think about closing down parts of our gardens for the winter. Also, I recommend that you use up the finished compost that has been 'cooking' in your composter since who knows when. Spread a 3 cm layer of the stuff over your entire garden, then it's time to start a new compost.

I really enjoy this part of gardening. In fact, the day I remove the compost from my composter is my second favourite day of the year (second, that is, to Christmas). Speaking of the onset of winter, the following helpful hints should keep plants safe and sound over the long cold months ahead.

Sunny, windy winter days can have a drying effect on the needles of evergreens and roses, and snow and ice accumulating on branches can cause them to break. Plus, the cycle of freezing and thawing can push smaller plants completely up out of the ground. It's a good idea to give these nature friends some protection.

• Use a double layer of burlap to protect evergreens during the winter. You can either loosely wrap the fabric around the plant, or build a screen. When you wrap evergreens with burlap, be sure to leave the top and bottom open about 30 cm (1 foot) to allow for air circulation.
• Small upright evergreens like cedars and junipers should be bound with strong cord to keep branches from being distorted by snow and ice. Or, you may want to insert four stakes in the ground around the evergreen and wrap the burlap around the stakes. Then lightly fill the space in-be