As the seasons change, it is important to winterize your garden in preparation for harsh weather. Just like a great lawn, what you do now can have a huge impact on the health and success of next year’s garden. Some steps to take include measures to keep your plants hydrated, clean up debris, add mulch around plants and apply winterizing fertilizer.
Taking effective measures ahead of time will ensure that you have the best start to the growing season in the spring without any unpleasant surprises from winter damage. Below are handy tips for gardeners to winterize a garden.
1. Drain irrigation. Start out by draining irrigation systems. When you do this, you will help prevent pipes from stretching and bursting.
2. Clean out ponds. Clean out ponds of any debris. This can help lower the volume of water by as much as 40%.
3. Rake leaves. Remove accumulated leaves and use as insulation for plants.
4. Use leaves for mulch. Use a mower to shred leaves to create winter mulch for garden beds and around trees.
5. Install gutter screens for gutter protection. Along with this step, install gutter screens for gutter protection. Gutter Helmet® offers the nation’s premier gutter protection system.
6. Add spring bulbs. Plant spring bulbs if you have not done so already. Spring bulbs need cold weather conditions to activate the flowering process.
7. Trim up trees and bushes. Lightly prune shrubbery and trees just enough to remove dead wood and branches. Prune in more depth in early spring to stimulate growth.
8. Build raised beds. Build raised beds and fill them with soil and generous amounts of compost and chopped leaves for a healthy garden in the early spring.
9. Order seed catalogs. Order your catalogs and plan out your growing season for the spring.
