My vegetable garden is officially over. The collard greens have been harvested, and the kelp is now in the freezer for future smoothies. For gardeners there is always next year and I’m already dreaming of spring.
My yard is now entirely lacking in color, except for a few purple pansies in my raised beds. Now is a time of rest in the garden. But even though it is winter, and gardening isn’t taking place, your garden doesn’t have to look messy. I have cut back my hostas and removed all dead annuals that were killed by a freeze last week. Clean out all pots that had your annuals in them and store them. PIck up any fallen branches and limbs to clean up the yard. Mulch your leaves, but keep them on the ground. They will break down, add organic matter and fertilizeyour yard.
I like to leave my flowers that have seed heads, like zinnias and coneflowers, to remain in the garden for the birds. Other perennial flowers can be cut back, as well as peonies.
Replenish soil and compost in your garden beds.
Winter is a time for the garden beds to rest. But come spring, new plants and emerging growth from last years plants will need to be ready to support that growth. It’s important to keep your garden beds replenished with the nurtrition the previous years plant’s depleted.
Mulch around bushes and perennials to protect from winter freezes.
Mulch can protect your plants from the rapid freezing and thawing that soil undergoes in the winter. When spring comes around, and new growth emerges, the mulch should be pulled back. Mulching also keeps weeds down and conserves moisture.
Choose plants and flowers for your growing zone.
When choosing plants for your garden, visit your local nursery to see which plants will survive your winter weather. That plant you bought online that was listed as a perennial, may just turn out to be an annual for your garden.
Learn what type of winter care your plant needs.
Keep a garden journal with the information that was on the garden tag when you purchased your plants. Talk to the employees at the center. Should your plant be pruned in the winter or wait until spring? Should it be taken into the house, or can it overwinter. Save yourself money and disappointment by learning how to care for the plants you purchase.
Need help in the garden?
Winter is the perfect time to learn more about gardening.
- Consider taking garden courses this winter.
- Enroll in Master Gardener Classes
- Visit a local bookstore to look at gardening books or visit your local library and check out a few.
Join my gardening facebook group and post your questions there. Sign up for my newsletter that is on the side bar of the blog, or through the pop up. Schedule a 1:1 virtual consult and let’s discuss what you need.
And coming in 2O23, I am happy to announce my new online vegetable gardening course with coaching. You will learn the fundamentals of growing a thriving vegetable garden, and have me growing along side of you with weekly emails for support and accountability. Each month we will meet in my garden for a live video class. Follow the newsletter for more information.
Happy Gardening!
Karen
This is written as a guest post. I received compensation for the post.
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