Winterizing Your Garden

winter poses a great many challenges for any gardener. At this time of the year, plants are more at risk for developing diseases and eventually dying. You don’t want either of that to happen to your plants, do you? So to prevent any eventualities, you have to winterize your garden.

The main reason for winterizing your garden is to protect your plants from the harsh winter elements and help them survive the cold. This is done during the Fall season, just before the cold temperature sets in.  Although gardens differ, there are general winterization procedures that are applicable to all garden types:

1. Rake leaves from your garden. Doing so allows proper air and water circulation and prevents diseases among your plants. Dispose of the leaves by adding them onto your compost, if you have one. However, if the leaves are from diseased plants, throw them into the garbage to prevent the compost from being contaminated.
2. Cover plants with mulch. This acts as blanket to protect your plants from frost and extreme winter weather. Unless your place is in the colder zone, use thin layers of mulch, as thick and compact mulch may work against your plants. Use sawdust, pine needles, straw or shredded leaves as mulch, and apply them around the roots and over the beds.
3. Relocate delicate plants indoors. Plants that can’t survive winter weathers should be moved inside. Place them in a cool and dry place; do not forget to water them regularly. Do not, however, over-water the plants, as this may result in rot. As soon as Spring approaches, place them in sunlit areas. 
4. Plant hardy, spring-blooming bulbs in the late fall. By this time, the soil is soft enough to accommodate bulbs. It is recommended to plant them two to three inches down. The more delicate bulbs, on the other hand, should be kept indoors, particularly in a cool and dry room, as they can’t stand the winter cold outside.  
5. Fertilize only with winter fertilizer. All fertilization should be put to a halt by mid to late fall and resume only in the spring.
6. Clean up your plants. Remove the dead and damaged parts, then add the trimmings to the compost pile, unless of course they are cut from diseased plants.
7. Eliminate the weeds. Because weeds grow a lot during the fall, get rid of them as soon as you spot their presence. Otherwise, they will multiply uncontrollably and give you a lot of work come Springtime.

When do you start preparing the garden for the colder months? You will notice change on the color of the plants. As this occurs, leaves will begin to fall off.  This is a clear indication that it is time to winterize your garden so that it will be healthy when next year comes.

Synonyms: winerizing, winerize, winterise, winerise, witerize and witerizing are typos for "winterizing" and "winterize."