If you have never tried landscaping in the winter, you may find it a bit of a challenge. Landscaping in the winter months can be an entirely different animal than it is during the more pleasant summer months. Because the ground is usually frozen over and covered with snow, there are fewer nutrients in the soil to give your plants the necessary water and nutrition they need. Because of this, you will want to make sure that you are taking all of the proper precautions to ensure that you are planting your garden plants in the winter properly. Take a look at some tips for landscaping in the winter that will help you keep your garden alive and well through the long dark winter months ahead.
One thing that you should remember is that anything that you plant in the winter months, especially anything that is relatively new or hardy in nature, should be protected from the elements the best that you can. Most plants will do well in a cold basement, but if you want to be extra careful, you can insulate your basement or build a screen door to keep out the winter winds. One way to protect your garden is by making sure that you don’t over-water it. Winter gardens need more water than they would in the summer months, since they need to conserve what little moisture you leave in them to survive the cold temperatures. You can still water your garden in the winter, just be sure that you water it very carefully and only when the soil is really dry.
When it comes to garden plants, the most important thing to remember about the winter is that you must put them away as soon as possible. There is nothing worse than having all of your hard work go down the drain because your garden plants were just too hardy or too delicate to handle the weather. In fact, there is nothing worse than trying to get that precious soil prepared to flower once the snow flies. If you want your flowers to bloom, you must water them before they start to die. In addition, be sure to mulch your garden plants or at least mulch over the soil so that the roots can’t freeze and die as well.
Planting perennials is always a good idea no matter what type of garden you are starting. Perennials are easy to maintain and will survive even the lowest temperatures. Just be sure to dig them up in the winter and take them out before the first frost falls. You can repot them in the spring, but it’s best if you let them go until after the first frost.
If you are going to be doing any kind of gardening in the winter, be sure that you plan on using pesticides. While the summer months provide us with wonderful flowers, they are not very welcoming when it snows. In fact, you might end up getting sprayed by a toxic spray that will destroy much of your garden. Many people who choose to use pesticides also choose to use an insecticide as well, which can be especially dangerous during the winter months.
You may be tempted to water your garden in the winter, but this is never a good idea. Watering in the winter can cause your plants to wilt, which is one of the reasons that you should plan on using an insecticide. The soil will freeze, and this is something that you don’t want to happen if you are trying to get plants to grow. It can also mean that the quality of your soil will suffer, which will not be helpful if you are ever planning on re-potting your garden in the spring. Instead, use a sprinkler or a hose to water your plants, and make sure that you clear away any fallen snow that is on the ground before you put anything back in the ground. You’ll be surprised at just how much extra work and maintenance you’ll have to do this winter if you have not planned ahead.
You may find that you have to dig up the entire area in which you have been working in the summer to plant landscaping in the winter. This can be very difficult to do, so it is best to plan ahead in the fall, when you can get the area under cover. Digging up a yard this early can cause problems that you may not have known about until the following season, such as the roots of the grass reaching below the ground and possibly killing the plants. If you do not dig in the fall, you will be in better shape for keeping everything alive and growing well in the winter.
Plan on having to replant many areas of your garden in the winter. Sometimes, you will need to get rid of some of your perennial flower beds, and do this in the winter, before you get started in the spring. There is no reason why you cannot get started in the winter, and then continue with your garden throughout the year. You may even want to do some plant landscaping in the fall and save the annuals for the time being. This can ensure that you are prepared should you need to clear your garden in the winter.