As summer winds down and colder temps around the corner, we don’t just have to worry about preparing ourselves and our families for the cold weather. The plants that we have been tending to and enjoying through the warm weather months need some special TLC in preparation for winter. The good news is, you have until the soil freezes to get your buds in survival mode.
Some tips to make sure your flowers and other plants will be ready to bloom again next spring:
- While you may have put fresh mulch down in your yard this summer, it is good to put another layer down before winter arrives. Make this layer thicker than usual to protect the roots and soil.
- When shaking snow off plants, start from the bottom branches. This way, snow from the top won’t topple on the bottom branches and add extra weight.
- For roses: Stop fertilizing plants and trimming your blossoms about two months before the first frost is expected. Otherwise, you are stimulating growth that will just be killed by winter climate. Before the first frost, put down a 6-12 inch layer of mulch around the crown of the rose bush.
- For bulbs: Use evergreen boughs to mulch them. 2-3 inches of mulch will prevent damage.
- For trees: For young ones, wrap their trunks with wire so that winter creatures looking for warmth can’t gnaw at them.
For more in-depth tips and step by step plant-specific instructions, check out the full article at Better Homes and Gardens online.
Want a ton more gardening tips and ideas? Check out Jen Reviews “How to Start a Garden”.
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