Preparing your flower and vegetable gardens for winter involves taking a few key steps to protect and prepare your plants for colder weather. Here are some best practices to follow:
1. Remove Debris: Clear out any fallen leaves, dead plants, or debris from the garden to reduce the chance of disease and pest infestations. Compost the healthy debris or dispose of the unhealthy debris to avoid spreading diseases during composting.
2. Add compost to your garden beds to increase organic matter, soil structure, and aeration. Ideally, add a 1-2 inch layer of compost to your garden bed mixed with garden soil rather than placing it on top of the earth.
3. Mulch the Soil: Apply a layer of mulch like chopped leaves, straw, or shredded bark–2 to 3 inches deep to protect the soil, reduce erosion, and conserve moisture.
4. Prune properly: Proper pruning: Cut back the perennials depending on the plant type and shape. Pruning should result in cutting off the dead or diseased plant parts to promote a healthy plant.
5. Watering: Watering regularly until the ground freezes decreases the risk of winter dehydration for your plants.
6. Protect your plants: Covering plants with frost blankets, burlap, or other protective material can help insulate your more vulnerable plants from cold weather damage.
7. This time of the year is a perfect opportunity to take time to clean and sharpen all garden tools.
Following the above steps will help give your garden a good head start to pick up again in the spring. A winter-ready garden will spring back and give you abundant flowers/vegetables to enjoy once the weather warms up.