Important Tips for Winterizing Your Garden

We're having a beautiful Indian summer, but it might not last long. The weather can turn into a cold, damp autumn with ground frosts at any time. That's why now is the perfect time to prepare our garden for winter.

The most suitable time for winterizing the garden is usually October and November, although it obviously always depends on the weather and temperatures.

Everything we do in the garden before winter arrives will not only benefit it greatly, but most importantly, it will reward us in spring.

Thanks to our care, it will enchant us again with its beauty.

In this article, you will learn about winterizing beds, flowers, trees, lawns, greenhouses, and tools.

Garden Beds

First of all, all beds need to be thoroughly cleared of weeds, and only then should you start digging. There's no need to further treat the dug soil, as frost will break up and tear apart the large clumps and lumps. The general rule is that the later we dig the soil, the better.

For example, slugs lay eggs in autumn, specifically in freshly dug beds.

Flowers

All sensitive plants should be carefully removed from the ground and winterized. Place them in a box and let them dry sufficiently, even with part of the greenery. Then store the dried plants in a dry and especially airy place. For annuals, collect the seeds and after the first frosts, remove them from the ground and dispose of them.

Perennials need to be cut low above the ground, cover with a little compost, or cover more sensitive species with conifer branches. However, ornamental grasses should never be cut back! It's recommended to tie the clumps with string. This prevents rain from getting into their stems.

Garden hydrangeas must not be cut back either, as they wouldn't bloom in spring. Peonies are also undemanding, for which it's enough to cover the root system. Radical pruning is recommended only in spring.

Roses should be cleared of wilted flowers and affected leaves. Provide them with sufficient cover of peat. For standard roses, it's also necessary to cover the plant's crown. Rock garden plants handle winter quite well. It's only important to remove dry leaves and inflorescences.

Trees

First of all, we should make sure that no fruit remains on the tree, and if so, it's time to pick them all. If we have trees anywhere near wildlife areas, it's advisable to wrap the tree trunks.

Lawn

It definitely shouldn't be neglected. It also needs certain care and preparation for the first snow cover.

It's best to aerate twice a year – in spring and autumn.

Lawn Winterization

The first essential part of proper lawn winterization is aeration, or scarification. This ensures the removal of thatch created by moss buildup. Thatch prevents sufficient amounts of water, air, and sunlight from penetrating through. Moreover, thatch creates a suitable environment for fungal diseases and thus harms the lawn.

The next step is to remove fallen leaves from the lawn. We should monitor this regularly, ideally until the trees are completely bare. A lawn covered with fallen leaves is at risk of being attacked by various fungi or parasites.

Finally, it's advisable to fertilize the lawn with a special autumn fertilizer that supports overwintering. It should contain high amounts of potassium, which protects the lawn from harsh winter weather.

Greenhouse Winterization

Winterizing greenhouses is very similar to winterizing garden beds. First, we remove all weeds and then dig up the soil. We don't further treat the soil so it can freeze thoroughly. It's good to disinfect the greenhouse using sulfur fumigators. We hang these in the greenhouse space, light them, and leave them in the closed greenhouse for at least 2 hours. Leave the greenhouse immediately after lighting the fumigator!

During winter, we regularly remove snow from the greenhouse roof. This prevents damage or destruction of its structure. Preparation for winter in the greenhouse proceeds as follows: We remove all green residues (they can be a source of pests) and dig up the soil.

Through repeated freezing later, the soil gains an ideal structure for growing vegetables. It will retain water and nutrients well. Digging can be combined with fertilizing using manure or compost.

Tools and Equipment

We definitely shouldn't forget about proper storage of garden tools and equipment. We carefully clean, oil, and if necessary repair them, then store them in a dry place. The lawn mower requires special care.

We store unused seeds in a dry and cool place. Don't leave water in containers, barrels, or tanks. We also shouldn't forget about pipes and hoses. We should also empty garden ponds for winter.

This protects trees from damage caused by gnawing or bark stripping, as well as from freezing. We can wrap them with netting or plastic film.

Everything you need for proper winterization of your garden can be found in our e-shop!