How to Winterize a Garden — 5 Important Tasks You Should Not Skip
Protect your garden with these tips to prepare you for the upcoming cold freeze, according to professionals
With the seasons changing and the winter freeze slowly approaching, it's important for green-thumbed and even beginner gardeners to protect and prepare their backyards for the upcoming frost — and so begins the process of winterizing a garden.
Much like overwintering your much-loved plants, winterizing your garden will allow you to protect and build up your garden's soil. It's an important part of preparing your shrubs, vegetables, and even flowers for a drop in temperature.
It's time to lay down some mulch and prepare your yard for the cold days. Here are five tasks to undertake to winterize a garden.
1. Clear out pipes, drains, and gutters
It's time to clean up your backyard, and the first step is to tackle the nitty-gritty gardening jobs.
"The first and most important thing to winterize in any garden is the outdoor faucets and sprinkler systems, so as to avoid any pipes freezing and bursting over winter," explains landscape design expert Amber Freda. According to Jordan Clough of Richardson & Associates Landscape Architecture, water is the number one cause of issues in the winter. "Remember to blow out irrigation systems and winterize pools, but you may also have to winterize any water lines to outdoor kitchens, or remote hose bibs," he says.
Pipes are not the only thing to worry about. As Amber goes on to explain, you'll also want to make sure any gutters and drains are cleared of debris. "This is so they continue to work properly over winter and don’t overflow," she says. Setting time aside for this home exterior trick is an easy way to save money on costly damage further down the line.
2. Mulch your plants
In areas where temperatures get quite low, the roots of your plants risk freezing which will stop the plants from blooming come spring. For this reason, many plants need an extra layer of protection through winter if you want your modern garden to flourish next year. If you're wondering how to mulch a garden, it's a whole lot easier than you might think.
"Add a nice thick layer of mulch to all perennial and shrub beds," says Jordan. "For many perennials, this is very important to keeping constant moisture around the roots and mitigating the temperature swings and extremes of the winter months while they are dormant — think of it as tucking them in for a winter's rest. This will certainly result in better, fuller, spring growth."
3. Prune and deadhead
It might be worth taking your pruning tools out and deadheading your plants this time of year. This is to ensure they don’t spread any diseases and to make them look tidier in the coming months. We're quite the fan of these Corona BP 3180D Forged Classic Bypass Pruners from Amazon. "Go ahead and prune back any dead flower blooms or overgrown plants so everything looks tidy in preparation for winter," advises Amber.
"Winter is a time when plant diseases can spread and further infect weak specimens made weaker during the winter months," Jordan adds. "Keep an eye out for any changes in the look of the plant's leaves, and see if you notice any infestation, making sure you remove it immediately." While he agrees it’s important to trim back any diseased plants, he urges you to check which plant you're cutting. Not all plants will benefit from a trim this time of year, especially if they've already entered their period of dormancy, so always double-check beforehand.
4. Fertilize (or don't...)
When it comes to fertilizing a garden and its soil, opinions are divided on this one. Amber advises you to stop fertilizing your plants to allow them to harden off before winter.
On the other hand, Jordan suggests applying a slow-release fertilizer to lawns and flower beds. "This will work its way into the soil over the winter months and be available for when your plants wake up in the spring," he explains. We'll leave it to you to decide whether your plants need a boost.
Looking to fertilize your soil? Try Jack's Classic 20-20-20 All Purpose Fertilizer from Walmart, priced at jst $19.89.
5. Protect the pollinators
We all want to do our part for the planet, and if you want to protect beneficial garden insects, you can offer them a place to hibernate over winter.
"They most frequently do this in piles of fallen leaves and in the remains of dormant plants," says Jordan. "If you have an area where you don't mind allowing leaves to stay over the winter, and you can leave some of the dry stalks of your perennials standing until spring, the native pollinators will greatly appreciate it!" After all, wildlife gardening isn't only about attracting pollinators in spring and summer.
Overwintering Vs Winterizing
Although both processes are quite similar and strive to protect your garden and plants from the cold, there is a slight difference between the two.
Tony O'Neill, a gardening expert from Simplify Gardening says winterizing is the process of getting your garden ready for winter, "which may involve tasks like mulching, covering plants, or adjusting your watering schedule."
And as for overwintering, the expert says this refers to maintaining plants during the winter, "whether indoors or outside, to ensure their survival and good health come spring."
Be The First To Know
The Livingetc newsletter is your shortcut to the now and the next in home design. Subscribe today to receive a stunning free 200-page book of the best homes from around the world.
Raluca formerly worked at Livingetc.com and is now a contributor with a passion for all things interior and living beautifully. Coming from a background writing and styling shoots for fashion magazines such as Marie Claire Raluca’s love for design started at a very young age when her family’s favourite weekend activity was moving the furniture around the house ‘for fun’. Always happiest in creative environments in her spare time she loves designing mindful spaces and doing colour consultations. She finds the best inspiration in art, nature, and the way we live, and thinks that a home should serve our mental and emotional wellbeing as well as our lifestyle.
- Faiza SaqibAdvice & Gardens Editor
-
Step Into Your Own "Roman Holiday" With Our Cinematic Edit of the Best Rome Hotels
The Eternal City's most sumptuous boutique hotels reveal a world of intricately layered interiors that feel like a portal to another dimension. Here are 10 to get lost into this year
By Gilda Bruno Published
-
What We’re Coveting From Habitat This Entertaining Season
Find the pieces on our nice list this year at this exclusive pop-up...
By Sponsored Published
-
Pro-Organizers Share 5 Simple Ways To Conceal Clutter in a Living Room — Remove Mess Without the Extra Work!
Expert advice on what you can do to hide away clutter before guests arrive
By Ciéra Cree Published
-
Why Is My Christmas Cactus Turning Yellow? Your Flourishing Bloom May Be Wilting Away, and Here's Why
If your beautiful houseplant is losing its color, there may be a few reasons, according to plant experts
By Faiza Saqib Published
-
How to Reduce Humidity in Your Kitchen — 8 Ways to Fight Off Moisture and Damp in Your Cooking Space
From range hoods and fans to moisture-loving plants, these expert tips will ensure your kitchen is refreshingly dry
By Amiya Baratan Published
-
How I Keep Moisture and Damp At Bay in My Small Apartment — 4 Simple Things I Do Routinely in My Home
These easy yet effective tips will help remove condensation and minimize mold, even in the smallest of spaces
By Faiza Saqib Published
-
How to Keep Your Christmas Wreath Fresh — 5 Easy Ways to Maintain Healthy and Luxurious Foliage
Knowing how to keep your festive blooms fresh will ensure that it looks beautiful throughout the entire holiday season
By Seraphina Kyprios Published
-
Why Are My Christmas Cactus Buds Falling Off? Expert Reveals the Reasons Behind This Beauty's Dropped Blooms
If your festive houseplant is struggling, you do not need to worry as we've identified the problem and outlined the solution for a successful regrowth
By Amiya Baratan Published
-
Festive Foliage — 5 Special Houseplants You Can Gift to Friends and Family Over the Holidays
I mean, who doesn't love receiving houseplants as gifts? Our experts pick the best plants of the holiday season for you to give to loved ones
By Sarah Wilson Published
-
How Do You Clean an Artificial Christmas Tree? Bring a Merry Glow Back Into Your Festive Foliage in 6 Easy Steps
Get ready to bring your festive tree out of storage...but, before you put it up, you'll need to give it a refresh and here's how
By Lilith Hudson Published