When autumn nights begin to get cold, it’s time to prepare your organic garden for winter. Winterizing doesn’t just make your garden look better during the cold weather. It will make it easier for you to work in the spring and will protect weaker plants from the cold. Start to close your garden down when there is a chance for frost in the forecast or if the temperature consistently starts to drop to the 40’s or high 30’s (Fahrenheit), this will usually be around late October or November.
Evaluate your garden
The first step before you start your preparations, is to take a moment to review what worked and did not work in your garden over the last season. Fall is a very good time to move plants (or remove plants) if they are not working in their current location. Fall is a good time to plant bulbs, as well as plant bare root shrubs or trees. It’s also a great time, too, for dividing perennials. Division will help maintain the health of your perennials and make it easier for plant propogation for improved coverage in the new season.
Clean-Up
Begin your preparation by cleaning up, removing weeds or expired annuals from their beds. Remove diseased leaves from shrubs and trees, but do not prune at this time because it can promote fresh growth just as winter is beginning. Bulbs that are not hardy should be dug up from the ground and set to dry in the sun for a bit before storing them in a cool, dry place for winter. The majority of organic farmers use a gas flame weeder instead of herbicides. They are effective in the garden for walkways and around the lawn to kill weeds on contact. This can be great in the winter on icy walkways, too. Toss cuttings and dried leaves into your compost bin, which will begin to break down into compost for the next seasons garden.
How to use Winter Mulch
Using mulch in the winter can provide your plants with protection from extreme temperature variations in the soil, and helps to insulate the plants from frigid winter weather. The ideal time to mulch for winter is after the first good frost of the season when the ground will start to freeze. Doing this too early can promote disease and or a pest problem. Approximately 4 to 6 inches of mulch will provide a sufficient layer of protection for your weaker plants. If it’s a hardy perennial don’t mulch it unless you are going to have a very harsh winter. Using plants that will be hardy in your area cuts down on the amount of work you have to do. For your container plants, the best solution is to move them inside. If this is not feasible, you can wrap the sides in burlap or bubble-wrap to insulate the container and blanket the soil with a deep layer of mulch.
Watering
Water your garden very well before the ground freezes. Winter can be very harsh and dry for many shrubs and trees, so to be fully prepared make sure they are well hydrated before the harsh winter temperatures arrive. Without these winter preparations, you risk the loss of some of your younger and less hardy plants to severe cold, preparing for gardening next spring may be more of a chore. It’s well worth to spend an extra day or two in your garden to tuck it in before winter hits.
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thanks for the reminder, time to get out there and get to work
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