7 Ways to Maintain Plants During Winter
Your garden can really suffer during cold, icy, and snowy weather. Winter isn’t the best time to spend hours out in the garden tending to your plants, but there are still some important things you should do to help maintain the health of your plants during this cold season. Read on for our tips on maintaining your plants during the winter.
Prune summer-blooming plants
Any summer-blooming plants in your garden will be lying dormant all winter, and it’s a great time to prune them. If you don’t cut them back, then they are likely to become diseased over the winter season.
Leave spring-blooming perennials alone
While summer-blooming plants can benefit from dormant pruning in winter, spring-blooming plants are better left alone. You can trim them a little, but if you prune them too much you could be removing their buds. You can leave them to continue collecting nutrients until they’re ready to bloom next spring.
Cover delicate plants
Plants that can’t handle the cold temperatures and frost should be covered in order to shield them from the cold. Something as simple as a blanket can be used to cover your plants, making sure it is tied down so that it doesn’t blow away.
Clear your lawn of leaves
Your lawn needs caring for over winter too, as soggy leaves left on it will stop it from getting the oxygen it needs. Rake your lawn or hire a professional to take care of it for you so your lawn can breathe. You can even turn the leaves into mulch once you’ve collected them. You should also clear your yard of any debris left behind by dying plants.
Spread more mulch
Speaking of mulch, now is a good time to spread more of it around your plants. Mulching the soil around your plants with organic mulch will help them to get the moisture and nutrients they need to survive winter, and it will also stop weeds from germinating.
Bring plants indoors
Some plants in your garden may be suitable for potting and bringing indoors, allowing you to grow them as houseplants over winter. This will help them avoid the harsh winter weather and continue to thrive over winter. Make sure you still look after those houseplants properly over winter.
Store summer blooming bulbs
Bulbs left in the ground over winter are unlikely to survive the season, so you should dig up tender bulbs and store them away safely. First, let them dry out after you’ve dug them up, and then store them in a cool, dry place. Labeling them will help you to know what everything is next spring.
Are your plants ready for winter? Stratford Landscape Supply can provide any materials you need to protect your plants over winter, as well as providing landscaping services across North Carolina, including Winston Salem, Greensboro, High Point, and Kernersville.