Every season marks an important part in keeping a healthy and lovely garden and it takes understanding every time and all the time when planting is necessary to be able to achieve your desired goals.
As a gardener, there are periods of the year when you do not want to grow certain plants outside as a result of the harsh weather condition which can be very unfavorable for your annuals and perennials.
Most plants thrive well during the spring, summer, and autumn but during winter, the survival of plants do seem at risk and we need to know what to put in place and how to go about winterizing our yard and the necessary steps to take so as to be able to achieve that.
Most people might assume this task as one which is very difficult but we will give you a simple analysis of the way through which you can get things done without much issue.
If you are a new gardener or a lover of plants and you do not know what to do before winter sets in, here, you will learn how to winterize your yard at a go without any stress whatsoever. I hope you read further to know more about winterizing your garden.
When is the right time to winterize your yard?
Before heading to what winterizing itself entails, it is important that you know the right time to winterize so as to be on track and not get it all wrong.
When determining this, you need to follow the weather forecast well and wait for the period of the first hard freeze occurs in the fall.
Hard freeze sets in when the temperature of the environment gets below the freezing temperature overnight which results in the damage and death of tender annual plants and vegetables.
When this period sets in, perennial plants also start to go dormant and this might be the right time to cut back, i.e. reduce the plant in height.
Winterizing can take place from the notice of the first hard freeze (and you may not start at the onset of the first freeze) through the fall, all you need to do is plan the whole process before even starting to ensure efficiency.
You should make sure to pay attention to the time, period, and area you are dealing with for efficiency.
What are the tasks to be carried out when winterizing?
Winterizing can be fun to carry out, as long as you know what it entails and you have what is required to get the whole process achieved with much relative ease than you know.
Before explaining what winterizing entails, here are the lists of tasks that will be performed through the process of winterizing, so you should be prepared to get them done when they are required.
Weeding:
This is an important activity to carry out from time to time and to ensure that the environment is in the right shape.
Fall is the best time to carry out this operation and once the plants die back, this will give you a better view to clean your yard as you will see the weeds easily.
Before carrying out weeding, you should water the soil very well to soften up the soil (for about 3 – 4 hours) before pulling them up.
Watering:
Although this might seem funny, providing water to the plants’ root in fall can go a long way in helping them to easily survive winter.
This will ensure that the plant is well hydrated and this is quite an important step to take when you plan on winterizing.
Mulching:
This involves the covering of the top layer of the soil with organic materials such as dried leaves, pine needles, etc. and if possible reduce their surface area to make them perfect for use.
This is essential especially in situations or conditions in which you have small perennials in your yard and you want to give them extra protection during the cold season.
In cases when you have cover plants with leaves for winter, you can always rake them at the base of the plants to keep them safe under unfavorable conditions.
Soil Amendment:
This is the best time to properly amend the soil in your yard because it takes time for the amendment component you add to become a whole part of the soil.
An example of a soil amendment is compost and before deciding to carry this out, it is important to carry out a proper soil test.
The result of the soil test will give you an idea of the soil pH level and you will know if you should improve or reduce the soil property.
How to winterize your yard with a gardening checklist
Since you already know the right time to start winterizing and the necessary things you need to be ready to do as regards achieving this sole purpose, then we can go straight to the main topic.
In the subsequent paragraphs, we will take you through the steps that are entailed in winterizing your yard with the necessary gardening checklist.
Determine what to do with the leaves:
If your yard is filled with deciduous trees from which leaves fall down much easier, then you will have to focus more on this.
There are so many things you can use leaves for and that all depends on the amount you have. Before anything, make sure that the leave you decide to use is not moldy and if there is make sure to remove them.
You can leave wet leaves on the field to get dried and can as well add them to your compost pile for later use. If possible, chop the leaves into small pieces before adding them to the pile – as they work much faster.
Top-dress raised beds:
You do not want to plant on a soil that is low in nutrient. Fall is the best time to top-dress your raised beds with either garden soils or winter mulch so as to improve the soil nutrient and make sure that it is ready for early-spring planting. You can make use of straws to keep the soil in good shape at all times.
Put away equipment that is not in use:
When winterizing your yard, some equipment such as lawn gnomes, plant supports, etc. are to be removed from the yard, cleaned properly, and stacked up for the coming year.
You must make sure that the equipment is kept in a place where you can easily reach for it when you need it.
Keep containers:
If you plant in containers or you use fabric pots, then, there is a need for you to empty them out and keep them for the coming year.
If you plant edibles and ornamentals, then you can toss them in your compost pile as they will work perfectly well.
Pots made of ceramic, plastics, etc. that can be washed must be properly scrubbed, soaked in water and bleach solution before leaving them to dry. Make sure they are well kept and stored in a neat place.
Bring plants that go dormant indoors:
If you have houseplants and some tender annuals in your yard, taking them inside might be a great way to protect them from the harsh weather. You need to know your plant and must be able to give it what it needs at the right time.
Plants like lemon trees and hibiscus should be placed in a sunny spot while figs can be stored in a little cold compartment where they go dormant. However, make sure that these plants are taken out in the spring so that they can recover and grow strong.
Plant perennials:
This might be the perfect and most convenient time for you to plant your perennials in the yard. You can plant the perennials in a container or spot in the seedbed where they can easily grow.
If you do not have a space in the yard, make a small nursery where you can keep plants that do not have a spot to grow.
Keep your tubers through winters:
If you have plants that grow from bulbs and you still want to grow them the next season, then you might want to save them.
In order to keep your tubers over the winter; cut the plant so that there will be about six inches of the stem above the soil and leave it in the soil for a few days to ensure the development of a new eyes.
After that, dig out the soil surrounding the bulb and pull it out of the ground. Place the bulb on a cardboard to dry and store in a plastic bag poked with holes with sawdust inside.
Utilize leftovers:
If you have some plants that you want to discard or you don’t wish to have indoors, then you can utilize them for an entirely different purpose. You can add them to your compost pile.
Plant fall bulbs:
Make sure to plant plants those flowers in spring such as garlic, tulips, and daffodils. They will add color and beauty to your yard just at the beginning of the season.
Clean and put away tools:
Implements that you have used during the whole process must be well cleaned and stored.
If your tools with sharp edges make sure to clean them and keep them dry at all times – store in a clean dry place. Pruners and other equipment should be disinfected after use.
Conclusion
Keep your garden in the right shape and at the right time and make them as important as the survival of the plants themselves. Have a lovely spring comeback!
On behalf of the author, thank you so much for taking the time to read this article !
