10 Tips for Winterizing Your Garden
With winter almost upon us (and already here in some parts of the country!) many people are wondering what important things they need to be doing with their lawns and gardens to prepare them for the cold winter and also prepare them to be as productive and Healthy when spring comes. We have put together the following Top 10 list of things that you can do to make sure that your lawn and garden will weather the winter:
1. Don’t let fallen leaves stay on your lawn—rake them up! Leaves left over the winter can kill your lawn.
2. Dig up small annuals and any herbs that you want to keep through the winter and put them in a pot. These plants are not strong enough to make it through the winter. Do this and you can re-plant them outside in the spring.
3. Remove all summer plants, debris, and weeds. Weeds love to release their seeds in the fall, and this can leave you with a lot more weeding to do in the spring when all the seeds begin to grow. Put plants (but not weeds) in your compost pile. Throw away the weeds, along with any diseased plants.
4. Put a layer of compost over the soil. This will nourish the ground over the winter, and it will be primed and ready to grow when spring comes.
5. Don’t fertilize or prune plants. This can lead to new, fragile growth that will be especially hard hit by the cold. The only exception is to prune dead branches, especially those that might break off when laden with heavy snow.
6. Water all of your trees and shrubs, especially evergreens, so that they have enough water to last the winter. In spite of snow, winter winds can really dry out these types of plants.
7. Trim any perennial plants down to 2-3 inches above the ground. Don’t worry–as long as the roots are healthy and in good shape, they will come back strong after the winter is over.
8. Clean and organize all of your tools. This is the best time to get rid of old or broken tools so that you can start next season out with the right ones. And don’t forget to drain and coil your hoses; any water left in them will freeze and expand, which can damage the hose. If you live in a snowy climate, make sure to move the snow shovel to a place you can get to easily!
9. Fertilize your lawn with a fall mix. These fertilizers are specially formulated to help the grass retain food and stimulate root growth, both of which help it survive the winter and be ready for a great start to growing season in the spring.
10. Plant spring-blooming bulbs, such as tulips. Be sure to get them in the ground while it is still workable before it freezes or turns to mud with fall rains. You will be rewarded with beautiful blooms to welcome spring!
If you love being outside as much as I do, you are probably already looking forward to spring. Follow these 10 tips, and you garden will be ready to go when the snow melts
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Tags: Gardening, winterization, winterize garden
