Winterize your garden

 

 

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Fall is now in full swing and it is time to winterize your garden. Where to start. Here a few tips:

Begin by removing all your annuals from your garden for compost

Remove dead flower stalks and leaves from your garden as they can become a home for pests, diseases and mold.

Dig up and store tender perennial bulbs  that are not able to withstand winters in your garden (refer to your USDA weather zone for guidelines). Make sure to give them a few weeks to dry out before storing in a container,

Fall is also a good time to divide perennials such as hostas. They should be divided at least five weeks before the ground freezes so they have time to establish themselves.

Unsure where your perennials are every spring, now is a good time to put a marker in the ground so you know and are ready for spring planting.

After you have cleaned up your garden beds and divided plants add 3 or so inches of compost to the beds to provide them with nutrients and then mulch 2-3 inches deep.

Water deeply with a soaking house all your evergreens to provide them with hydration as they are susceptible to winter burn due to moisture being released by their leaves year around.

Protect young trees as they have thin bark and can suffer cracks from the fluctuating temperature

Create a wind shield for exposed evergreens to protect them from wind burn using burlap

Remember to remove you garden hose, flush out your sprinkler system and turn off your outdoor water supply and let it drain to prevent frozen pipes bursting

Leave your ornamental grasses uncut through the winter months to enjoy their texture through the winter, you can cut them back in the early spring.

Remember to cover your roses and tender shrubs using burlap and leaves.

Clear up all the fallen leaves from the trees to avoid mold and rot setting in.