Preparing Plants To Survive the Winter
During wintertime, most garden plants enter a period of dormancy due to the cold, harsh weather.
Preparing outdoor plants for the winter season will ensure that they will survive and wake up undamaged and healthy in the spring.
The right type of continued care throughout the winter months will also minimize damages that could occur.
Below are some steps for ensuring that garden plants are kept safe during winter.
1. Remove dead leaves, mulches, and other garden debris from summer before the ground begins to freeze in the fall. That is very important because soil substances usually harbor diseases that can attack garden plants, making them vulnerable in the springtime.
2. Put down fresh mulch. Use 2 to 4 inches of straw mulch over the surface roots of shrubs and trees to protect them and help preserve moisture in the soil. Do the same for perennial flower beds. That will protect the crowns of the garden plants from becoming frostbitten. It will also prevent frost heave caused by the ground thawing and then refreezing.
3. Check for soil moisture around shrubs and evergreen trees whenever the ground thaws during the winter season. Water the evergreens when the soil becomes dry and is not frozen. That is important because the needles or leaves could turn brown and die.
4. Put up windbreaks for garden plants, not in sheltered areas. Surround the plants with wrap burlap and stakes. That will break the wind without trapping any heat that could burn plants on sunny days.
5. Bring annual flowers, such as begonias, impatiens, coleus, and geraniums inside to protect them during winter. Ensure that they get adequate light and water. In springtime, you may replant them outdoors.
6. Move all container garden plants inside to protected areas during the winter months. The roots will be very vulnerable in containers during winter. Would you please place them in a shed or garage away from winter winds?
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