Preparing Your Garden For Winter

It's that time of the year again to perform some magic on your landscape in St Catharine!

Science tells us that sunlight and water are the primary sources of the life of a plant. Photosynthesis is how plants produce their food using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into glucose, a type of sugar.

However, during the winter season, it will be hard for plants to sustain these primary sources. Winter has less sunlight, and the cold weather will cause the ground to freeze, making it difficult for trees and plants to collect water. 

Our plants struggle during winter, but there is a way to protect them from this harsh weather.

For the plants in your landscape in St Catharine to last long throughout the winter, you have to prepare your garden for winter before all of its leaves fall off. Doing so will be easier and more efficient in keeping your plants alive during the cold season.

The most important things you need to do to prepare your garden for winter are:

Remove dead plants and dried leaves

This is the process of removing any plants that are already dead and leaves that have dried up. Remove them carefully so you can use them either for mulch or composting. 

So, don't throw away the dried leaves. They can provide insulation for new plantings, preventing frost damage to tender root development in winter or death by overheating on sunny days. Compost whatever you can't use.

Prepare new beds if necessary

 If you're doing a significant overhaul of your garden, then now is the best time to prepare new beds rather than in winter or spring because high temperatures may cause them to lose fertility. 

This would be great if you want to add vegetables and flowers since they can be prepared well before planting time, so everything's ready for when spring comes along.

Turn the soil over before adding bulbs in early spring

The combination of rotting debris and frozen ground makes it virtually impossible to work your soil during late fall and early spring. Around November 1, turn it under a few inches deep with a spade or garden fork. 

This will expose more weed seeds to the cold, killing them when they sprout. 

Planting bulbs in early spring and hand weeding is then accessible as soon as your garden comes alive.

Put compost throughout the garden

If you don't have time to turn your compost, spread it on the soil throughout the garden. This will improve the fertility and nitrogen content of your garden's plants.

Put in new plants 

Things that are too mature or overgrown may have to give way to new ones. If you want seeds, cuttings, bulbs, or root divisions of perennials now, this would be an excellent time to set them out when fall turns into winter.  

This will provide an ample amount of time for the roots to take hold before next spring arrives and your landscape in St Catharine comes back to life again! 

Put up trellises

If your plants need support, put up trellises to help them. If they're temporary, place some gravel at the bottom, so it won't be hard for you to remove them with ease when spring comes along.

Don't forget to mulch each bed

You can use three inches thick mulch or compost on top of the ground. It will help in keeping the moisture in and suppress weeds while adding nutrients back into the soil. Mulch is necessary to protect the plants from harsh temperatures and wind. 

Drain water hoses and water irrigation system

Do this tip to prevent water from freezing up during winter. This will also prevent the frost from damaging the system and keep you from dashing out to the garden in the middle of winter to unclog the hoses.

Prepare tools for winter storage

Clean off your garden tools after use so they can be stored away for the winter. This will also give them a good cleaning to ensure no dirt and debris stuck in it that could cause problems when you use them next spring, like rusting.  

Keep the area dry but well aerated

Another thing to do during winter is to keep your plants dry and aerated. The soil will absorb water during the rainy season; hence, it'll be hard for plants to take them in when it freezes up. Likewise, the wet soil may cause anaerobic decomposition, a process that generates heat. 

This may cause the water in the ground to heat up and lead to a dead plant.

Remove snow from rose bushes and other perennials that flower early in the spring

After removing dead leaves and diseased plants, don't forget to clean off snow from rose bushes and perennials that will blossom early in the spring.

After the first frost, cut back perennial plants

Don't do this too early. If you did, you could deprive nutrients your plant needs during winter. Do this after the first frost. You can now ensure that your plant is healthy and alive since you pruned them back with care.

Clean bird feeders once a week during winter months

This tip is one of the easiest, requiring only 5 minutes of your time. You need to clean them once a week during winter months or when you see lots of bird droppings because it will attract ants and other insects that may damage the feeder.

Check for garden pests and remove them if necessary

The best way to keep pesky pests at bay is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. Check your plants and get rid of problems like aphids and leafhoppers if they do happen. You may also use insecticides for more effective pest management

Prepare garden tools for winter storage

Clean off dirt and debris before putting your tools away. Drain water hoses or shut off your irrigation system to prevent freezing up as well as damage due to frost. 

Hire Professionals

This is a tip for people who work from Monday to Friday and can hardly squeeze time out of their busy schedules during weekends. If you want an easy way, hire someone to take care of your landscape in St Catharine for you. 

Now that you know how to prepare a garden for winter, why not use the information shared in this article? Start doing these tips right away, and next spring will be here before you know it!

Landscaping St Catharines Services can help your garden survive through winter. By hiring them to care for your home's landscape and maintenance needs!

Give us a call at (289)272-7121.