If you are an avid gardener, you are likely to invest a lot of time during the summer months in creating and maintaining a beautiful garden. As the summer comes to an end and winter approaches, you will need to prepare your garden for the drop in temperature.
Doing so will not only ensure that your garden looks neat and clean but will also allow you to remove any plants that are contaminated with a disease so that the rest of your plants and garden remain healthy.
Below we have identified our top tips for putting your garden to bed for the winter.
Remove any extra vegetation
Once you have harvested your vegetables, it is time to remove any extra vegetation and clean up this section of your garden. Doing this will help to ensure that you do not encounter any issues with pests.
Scour the surface of your vegetable beds and remove any leaves, seeds, plant debris, and leftover vegetables that you are unlikely to use. Giving your vegetable patches a good tidy-up now means that you won’t be contending with as many bugs next summer.
Also, assess the vegetable plants that are going to remain planted for winter and remove any wilting leaves or veggies that are starting to discolor. Take all of the vegetables that you have harvested indoors ready to enjoy over the winter and discard the waste by composting it.
Cut back your evergreens and perennial plants
If you have evergreens in your garden, the end of summer is the perfect time to give them a haircut. This will allow you to trim and shape them so that they look neat throughout the winter. You should also cut back any perennials plants that you have in your garden during fall.
It is important to research whether your specific perennial plants need to be trimmed because some do not to be as they should be left standing during the winter. As they remain standing they protect the roots from the cold weather conditions.
If your plants can be pruned, you must choose the right time to do it. This is because you don’t want to encourage your plants to grow more in the winter.
After all, this new growth will be less likely to withstand the colder winter conditions and as a result, it is likely to become weak and possibly die.
Give your lawn some TLC
Before putting your garden to bed for the winter, you should try and give your lawn some TLC. Begin by raking your lawn to get rid of any leaves and moss. Also, if your lawn is looking a little worse for wear you may choose to reseed it or you may even need to sow a new lawn.
During the summer, many of us use our lawns quite intensely, and exposure to heat can also cause it to develop brown patches and become damaged.
Furthermore, it is also worth using this time to mow your lawn because the often unexpected weather conditions can make this more difficult during the winter.
Plant your bulbs and shrubs
Although it may be fall, you can still do some planting. Before the temperatures drop and the ground begins to freeze, you can plant your trees and shrubs as their roots will start to develop over the winter. The heat can often put more stress on shrubs making it more difficult for them to grow.
You need to make sure that any shrubs that you plant ahead of the winter are sufficiently supported. During the winter, there is a risk of harsh winds blowing the plant over before it has even had a chance to establish its roots.
You can also use this time to plant your bulbs, however, you must make sure that they are protected from any pests and squirrels.
Some plants can also be brought indoors during the winter, as they cope just as well as houseplants. For example, herbs are known to be particularly versatile plants that can be planted outdoors and then brought inside until the cold temperatures pass.
Repair any damaged fencing
Whilst it is important to pay attention to the plants and vegetation in your garden, you should also ensure that everything else is prepared for the winter months such as your garden furniture.
Weak, insufficiently supported fences are going to be at a greater risk of blowing over and getting damaged. Use this time to repair your fencing and ensure that it is properly secured ahead of the winter.
Shield plants that may be targeted by animals
Some plants will need to be shielded during the winter months as they can become a source of food for animals who are unable to find food elsewhere.
You can either use fencing or if you sometimes notice larger animals such as deers in your garden, you may prefer to use tree guards as they will be more effective in protecting them from the attention of unwanted visitors.
Tackle the weeds
For many gardeners, weeds can be quite problematic and they often become more noticeable during rainy weather. To stop them from getting worse during the winter try and get rid of as many as you can towards the end of summer.
You can either do this using your hands or a specific de-weeding tool. As you are weeding your lawn you may also stumble across bad grubs and bugs. Try and move them away from your garden area and you can also remove any unexpected plants that appear to have sprung up.
Final Thoughts
As you can see there are many steps involved in putting your garden to bed for the winter. However, doing so will ensure that you have a clean, well-maintained garden throughout the winter months.
Whilst you are making your way through the tasks that we have mentioned above, you may come across other things that need to be done before winter arrives, and fall is the perfect time to do them.
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