- All houseplants need to be brought inside before the first frost. Connecticut had a frost over the weekend; if your houseplants aren’t inside, make a note on your calendar for next year.
- Pot up tulips, hyacinths and other pre-chilled bulbs and store in a cool, dark place until ready to force.
- Rosemary is not hardy in most areas of Connecticut. Bring plants in before temperatures drop too low but check plants thoroughly for mealybugs.
- Plant shallots and garlic outdoors.
- Beets, parsnips, and carrots can be covered with a thick layer of straw or leaves and left in the ground for harvest, as needed, during the winter
- Mulch perennial beds using a loose organic material such as bark chips or leaves to keep down weeds, preserve moisture and give roots a longer time to grow before the soil freezes.
- Avoid the spring rush and have your soil tested now by the UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory.
- Add a touch of fall to your home and landscape with hardy mums, asters and fall pansies.
- If rain is lacking, continue to thoroughly water trees, shrubs, planting beds and lawn areas and recently planted evergreens. Plants should go into the winter well-watered.
- As tomatoes end their production cut down plants and pick up any debris and put in the trash or take to a landfill. Many diseases will over-winter on old infected leaves and stems so these are best removed from the property.
For more information, please contact the UConn Home & Garden Education Center at ladybug@uconn.edu or 877-486-6271.