Just like you prepare your house for winter, your garden also needs a little attention to make through the freezing winters. As the temperatures drop, your plants prepare themselves for dormancy.
However, a lot still goes on under the soil. Plants continue to grow roots and earthworms and microbes remain busy at processing the organic material in the ground.
Even with all the normalcy underground, your plants still need protection from the harsh weather and frigid cold. Scroll down to read some amazing tips to prepare your garden for the winter.
Prepare Your Perennials
Perennials grow back year after year. However, just like bears, perennials go into hibernation during the winters. Preparing your perennials for the winter is simple. A little cutting and slight mulching is all they need to grow back next summer – stronger and brighter than ever!
Keep in mind that each perennial is different. All of them are not affected the same way by the cold weather. This makes it important to do a little research to understand how cold affects your perennials.
Prepare Your Annuals
As the name suggests, annuals are the “yearly plants”. They are designed to live for only one growing season. This makes it important to do all you can to keep them thriving in the winter. Scroll down to read a few tips about preparing your annuals for the winter.
- Bring out all your frost protection fleeces for your annuals.
- Since annuals last only for one season, pull up the dead annuals and add them to the composite pile. Don’t forget to throw away any plant that shows signs of fungal disease.
- Keep in mind; this is the best time of the year to collect seeds of your favorite plants.
- Mulch the flower beds. In case, you are expecting self-sown seeds to bloom next spring, it is advisable to spread only about 2 inches of mulch.
Prepare Your Rose Plants
Roses require extra attention during winters but in the end, it’s totally worth it! To make sure your roses thrive winter, all you need is a little compost, a couple of pruners and shredded leaves. To prepare your rose plants for the winters, stop cutting them from the early fall.
This helps them prepare seedpods as they get ready for the cold weather. An easy way to protect your plants against damage caused by cold and frost is to pile soil over the base of the plants. Cover the bud-union to up to 2 feet after the first frost. And don’t forget to prune off the dead flowers and canes in the early spring!
Prepare the Lawn
Just like plants, your lawn also needs a little winter care. Before the soil freezes, it is important to treat your lawn for weeds. Look out for winter grass and Bindii. You can use a lawn weeder or remove the weeds by hand. Also, sprinkle a little hose-on soil stimulant to improve the biological activity under the ground.
So, what are you waiting for? Bring out the garden tools and accessories and get to work!
