It’s that time of year again, time to prepare your garden for winter. For most regions in the United States, fall is the ideal time to plan and prepare your garden for the cold weather ahead.
For many easy-going gardeners, this process begins by simply gathering up any loose debris leftover from summertime gardening activities. This includes fallen leaves, weeds that have not been disposed of properly, etc. Once you are done cleaning up any undesired items in your backyard or patio space, it’s time to begin preparations for winter!
1) Check Your Soil Type & Amend As Needed
Before laying out new seeds for next spring, be sure to take a soil sample within your garden beds and analyze it with your local county extension. This will provide you valuable insight on what amendments your soil needs in order to be at its most fertile next spring.
2) Fertilize Your Soil
Once you’ve analyzed your soil, make sure to purchase the recommended fertilizer for your specific type of soil (sand, clay, loam or silt). Then, spread this product across each garden bed according to package instructions and till it into the top few inches of soil with a rototiller. This will provide nutrients for your new seeds as they begin growing in springtime!
3) Covering Your Plants
By mid-October, some region’s frost warnings may have already begun appearing every evening. Once temperatures dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), you should begin covering your plants with a cold-protectant to shield them from the elements. This can be achieved by purchasing a frost blanket, which is specifically designed for this purpose and available at most home and garden retailers.
4) Mulching & Removing Debris
As we discussed in our previous article on fall lawn care, it’s important to remove dead vegetation and debris from your yard as well as apply mulch to help protect soil moisture levels throughout winter. Be sure to read our article here: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/lawn/maintain/mowing/fall-lawn-care-for-wisconsin.htm
5) The Importance Of Watering Right
Now is also the time to begin watering your lawn and garden less frequently, but more deeply. Fall is a great time for deep root watering as it gives newly planted seeds time to establish themselves before next spring’s warmer weather arrives. This being said, all newly planted seeds should have been watered regularly throughout their first month of growth!
As the colder weather sets in, you may notice that some of your plants begin to drop their leaves or go into hibernation mode. This process is natural within the plant world and not something to be alarmed about! Many blossoms will soon return at the beginning of springtime so remember how lovely they were this fall.
Happy gardening!
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