Preparing The Garden For Winter

Article by: Gwen Stewart

Are you like me? Sad to see the summer , Introduction to Botany end but at the same time relieved that there is one less task to tend to. Weeding, watering, pruning, , Mulch Your Spring Bulbs In The Fall For A Beautiful Spring Display and more weeding is over for this year and with a few more chores the outdoor gardening , Outdoor Kitchens: Attention All Cooks - You've Never Had It This Good! year draws to a close. Most of what needs to be completed is a matter of cleaning up and covering up. Practical steps to preparing your outdoor garden , Recipes for Concrete and Hypertufa for winter , The Heralded Teak Furniture Manufacturer: Kingsley-Bate involve:

1. Protecting plants. , This Autumn, Postpone the Winter Blues for Your Lawn There are different opinions concerning whether to cut down or leave plants , Patio Accessories - Complete The Great Outdoors standing through the winter. , Why Teak Coffee Tables Are Essential For Your Outdoor Space Here on the prairies most people leave their perennials , This Autumn, Postpone the Winter Blues for Your Lawn standing for a variety of reasons. In particular, trapping the snow , Birch Leaf Miner cover is important for protection of plants , Green Grass Cutting: Reel Lawnmowers and retaining moisture. , Feng Shui in the Garden Snow , Feng Shui in the Garden cover acts the same as good mulch by insulating the soil. , Lawn Mower Safety Many perennial , The Heralded Teak Furniture Manufacturer: Kingsley-Bate stems and seed , Teak Outdoor Furniture -- From the Forests to Ships to Your Patio heads are also very attractive for winter , Patio Accessories - Complete The Great Outdoors interest and provide food , Teak Outdoor Furniture -- From the Forests to Ships to Your Patio for the birds. , How to Grow Ornamental Grasses After the ground freezes, mulch perennials , Patio Accessories - Complete The Great Outdoors and shrub , Tips on Outdoor Patio Heaters beds with pine needles, compost, , Urban Water Lilies peat moss, or chopped leaves. This protects the soil , Patio Accessories - Complete The Great Outdoors and plant , Choosing Gardening Tools roots and moderates the effects of extreme temperature , Planning Your Flower Garden changes during winter , Green Grass Cutting: Reel Lawnmowers periods of freezes and thaws.

2. Cleaning-up the garden. , Outdoor Entertaining Harvest warm-season crops such as tomatoes , Growing Palms even though they are still green. , Do It Yourself Landscaping Lie out on windowsills; or layer in boxes with newspapers between the layers of tomatoes. , A Modern Day Glove Affair They will slowly ripen or you can use green , Why Teak Coffee Tables Are Essential For Your Outdoor Space tomatoes for fried green , Growing Palms tomatoes or various green , Urban Water Lilies tomato recipes. Pull out any remaining crops or spent annuals; clean up remaining debris and weeds , Lawn Mower Safety to decrease the possibility of disease , The Garden Gazebo problems in the spring. , Controlling Aphids

3. Evaluating your garden , Mulch Your Spring Bulbs In The Fall For A Beautiful Spring Display design. Before you start winterizing your garden, , s: They are Fragrant, Breathtaking— the Perfect Idea for More Outdoor Decor take a few minutes to review what worked and what didn't and make note of any areas that you would like to change , Lawn Care Business Owners - Don't Buy Yourself A Job in the spring. , Outdoor Kitchens: Attention All Cooks - You've Never Had It This Good!

4. Prepare the soil , The Heralded Teak Furniture Manufacturer: Kingsley-Bate for early spring , Bonsai Trees For Sale: What Are Your Options? seeding. Turn over the garden , Lawn Mowers Guide - Cut a Fine Figure of Your Lawn soil late in the season , Fall Garden Planning - Garden Plans for Next Spring and Ordering by Mail while amending with organic , This Autumn, Postpone the Winter Blues for Your Lawn matter such as leaves, compost, , Feng Shui in the Garden or well-rotted manure. In the spring, , A Quick Overview of Outdoor Hot Tubs a light , Outdoor Entertaining raking is all that is needed.

5. Caring for trees , Controlling Aphids and lawns. , How to Grow Ornamental Grasses Protect the tender bark of young trees , Patio Cover Designs from rabbits and gnawing critters by wrapping stems or trunks with chicken wire or commercial tree-guard products. , Growing Palms To prevent rodents from nesting near buildings , Lawn Mower Safety and trees, , Gardens: They are Fragrant, Breathtaking— the Perfect Idea for More Outdoor Decor trim tall grass, , Controlling Aphids and remove weeds. , Why Teak Coffee Tables Are Essential For Your Outdoor Space Deeply water trees , A Few Simple Facts About Purple Martins and shrubs , History of the Adirondack Chair so that they go into winter , A Modern Day Glove Affair well hydrated. Don't prune shrubs , Greenhouse Buying Guide - Choosing The Right Greenhouse and trees , Summer Gardening Tips as it may stimulate new growth just before the harsh weather. , Trends and Styles of Patio Furniture Cut lawns , Patio Accessories - Complete The Great Outdoors and fertilise if you wish with a low nitrogen 'winter' blend. Use grass , Pruning Weeping Cherry Trees and Other Grafted and Budded Plants clippings for mulch or compost. , Lawn Care Business Owners - Don't Buy Yourself A Job Never send them to the landfill, as they are excellent fertiliser left on the lawn , Feng Shui in the Garden (if they are not too long) and/or make terrific compost/mulch dug straight into the garden , Choosing ing Tools or used for pathways. Once rotted on garden , Why Teak Coffee Tables Are Essential For Your Outdoor Space pathways, dig into the garden , Silk Palm Trees and replace with new grass , Planning Your Flower Garden clippings.

6. Planting before winter. , Patio Furniture - Coordinating Cushions, Chairs, And Canopies Now is the time to plant , Planning Your Flower Garden bulbs. Garden , Summer ing Tips centres carry many varieties suitable for the prairies. Remember: buy good quality as cheap is not better - the larger the bulb , Patio Cover Designs - the larger the bloom. Look for plumpness, firmness, clean skin, and surface. Directions for planting are included with the package.

7. Composting. Compost , Choosing Gardening Tools dead plant , Trends and Styles of Patio Furniture debris including leaves. Leaves are a valuable natural , History of the Adirondack Chair resource. Rather than a nuisance, they are the best soil , Patio Furniture - Coordinating Cushions, Chairs, And Canopies amendment as well as terrific mulches. Leaves take very little effort to recycle into a wonderful soil , Silk Palm Trees conditioner - leaf mould - for the yard , Controlling Aphids and garden. , Feng Shui in the You can make leaf mould by the same process nature , Catch a Leprechaun in Your Garden does. Pile up moist leaves and wait for them to decompose or shred the leaves into smaller pieces before piling them up. If you wish, you can enclose the pile with chicken wire, snow , Giving Seeds What They Need In Storage fencing, or something similar. In the spring, , Lawn Care Business Owners - Don't Buy Yourself A Job I rake up dry leaves and dig them straight into the vegetable garden. , Frame Your With Edging

8. Cleaning your tools. , Summer Gardening Tips Clean the soil , Adding a Water Feature to Your Yard from all your gardening , Why Teak Coffee Tables Are Essential For Your Outdoor Space tools, oil any wooden , Lawn Mowers Guide - Cut a Fine Figure of Your Lawn handles and moving parts, sharpen any blades, and then store them in a dry place , Lawn Mower Safety for the winter. , Adding a Water Feature to Your Yard

9. Water Gardening. , Bonsai Trees For Sale: What Are Your Options? Bring in pumps, , Patio Furniture - Coordinating Cushions, Chairs, And Canopies drain, clean, refill (if necessary) and store tender water plants , Mulch Your Spring Bulbs In The Fall For A Beautiful Spring Display prior to freezing.

10. Bringing in your indoor plants. , A Few Simple Facts About Purple Martins Before bringing in any houseplants , Patio Accessories - Complete The Great Outdoors that have spent the summer , Mulch Your Spring Bulbs In The Fall For A Beautiful Spring Display outdoors, examine them for critters, wash them, and spray with soapy water , A Quick Overview of Outdoor Hot Tubs or insecticidal soap. Use sterilised potting soil , Fall Garden Planning - Garden Plans for Next Spring and Ordering by Mail purchased from garden , Tips on Outdoor Patio Heaters centres or shopping malls if re-potting your plants. , Greenhouse Buying Guide - Choosing The Right Greenhouse Don't use garden , Adding a Water Feature to Your Yard soil as it may harbour insects, weed , Patio Furniture - Coordinating Cushions, Chairs, And Canopies seeds, disease, , Lawn Mowers Guide - Cut a Fine Figure of Your Lawn and fungi.

Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden , Birch Leaf Miner consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place , Outdoor Kitchens: Attention All Cooks - You've Never Had It This Good! Of Peace - Gardening , Patio Furniture - Coordinating Cushions, Chairs, And Canopies For The Soil, , Giving Seeds What They Need In Storage Gardening , The Benefits of Wholesale Flower Bulbs For The Soul. She owns the website Gwen's Healing Garden , Greenhouse Buying Guide - Choosing The Right Greenhouse where you will find lots of free information , Tips on Outdoor Patio Heaters about gardening , The Benefits of Wholesale Flower Bulbs for the soil , Do It Yourself Landscaping and gardening , Pruning Weeping Cherry Trees and Other Grafted and Budded Plants for the soul. To find out more about the book and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca

Gwen Nyhus Stewart Â© 2004 - 2005. All rights reserved.

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Preparing The Garden For Winter

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