Wow. We had amazing fall weather, but the forecasted chilly temperatures make it look as though winter is ready to settle in. But there is still time to plant bulbs this weekend, so stop into the Garden Center to stock up on a bit of color for next spring and take advantage of the 50% savings.

If you have hybrid roses, loosely tie the canes together and prune them to fit under a rose cone. Have some unfrozen topsoil or bark mulch handy. Once the ground freezes, mound about 8 to 10 inches of mulch over the crown of each plant. Although late November is usually a good guess for timing, you might want to wait until mid-December. Let this mound freeze solid before covering the plant with the rose cone or with some clean straw. Your hardy shrub roses won’t require this kind of protection. Wait until spring to prune them and though it isn’t necessary, an added layer of mulch certainly won’t hurt them.

And using the same timing as the roses, go ahead and apply winter mulch around your more tender perennials and shrubs. Pay special attention to those Zone 5 plants like butterflybush, big-leaf hydrangea and blue-mist spirea. Leaves from your trees and grass clippings are not a good choice. Marsh hay or evergreen boughs make the best protective mulch. The idea behind the practice is to use materials that will keep the air spaces intact and not mat down.

You should be done transplanting and dividing perennials by now. If you have anything still unplanted, consider mulching them in a sheltered spot for the season. You have all winter to figure out where to plant them next spring. Clean up and discard foliage from any plants that had mildew or leaf spot problems during the growing season. Do not put this material in your compost pile as it might re-infect your garden in the spring.

Protect any young, thin-barked trees from frost-cracking by applying a paper tree wrap to the trunks. If you have had problems with rodents or deer, use the sturdier plastic tubes. This is temporary though. Be sure to mark your calendars to remove any tree wraps in late March or early April. And use some lengths of old nylon stockings to tie up the multiple leaders of arborvitae and upright junipers. This can prevent any splitting caused by heavy snow.

Apply an anti-desiccant like Wilt-Pruf to your broadleaf evergreens, being sure to follow product directions. Moisture can be lost throughout the winter from the foliage of rhododendrons, boxwood and hollies, leaving you with golden-brown, crispy plants in the spring. If these plants are sited in a windy spot, or afternoon sun, think about putting up a burlap screen to protect them.

Wait until January or February to do dormant-season pruning of trees and shrubs. Remember that spring flowering trees and shrubs have already set flower buds for next spring, so any pruning will remove blossoms. And leave your evergreens alone. Late pruning can cause serious winter damage.

Plants that have gone dormant can be trimmed back now or left until early spring. Perennial silhouettes in the winter garden can be very attractive and provide cover and food for birds. Grasses and coneflower heads, in particular, add a nice dimension and texture.