Preparing The Garden For Winter

Article by: Gwen Stewart

Are you like me? Sad to see the summer , 5 Tips For Fish Pond Maintenance end but at the same time relieved that there is one less task to tend to. Weeding, watering, pruning, , A Teak Bench: The Perfect Complement To Any Outdoor Space and more weeding is over for this year and with a few more chores the outdoor gardening , The Basics of Plant Growth; (Part 2) Plant Energy 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 , Favorite Tea Herbs to Grow for winter , Gardening for Wildlife involve:

1. Protecting plants. , A Rather Shady Affair There are different opinions concerning whether to cut down or leave plants , Gardening Using Trees and Shrubs with Scent in Mind standing through the winter. , Gardening with Garden Decor Here on the prairies most people leave their perennials , How to Read a Seed Catalog standing for a variety of reasons. In particular, trapping the snow , Landscape Lighting With Solar Outdoor Lighting Fixtures is a Great Way to Save Money on Decorating cover is important for protection of plants , Buying Teak Wood Furniture Responsibly and retaining moisture. , Soils, the Natural Solution Snow , Our History with Blueberries - Reviving Their Home-Grown and Local Farm Status cover acts the same as good mulch by insulating the soil. , Handcrafted Garden Bridges Builds Traditional Arched Span Bridges with Modern Flair Many perennial , Seeding Your Lawn, Laid Bare stems and seed , Discount Patio Furniture - An Easy Way to Get the Best heads are also very attractive for winter , The Basics of Plant Growth; (Part 2) Plant Energy interest and provide food , Planting Roses for the birds. , Tulip Trees - The King of the Magnolias After the ground freezes, mulch perennials , Winterizing Tips for Your Lawn and Garden and shrub , Color in the Garden beds with pine needles, compost, , Landscape Lighting With Solar Outdoor Lighting Fixtures is a Great Way to Save Money on Decorating peat moss, or chopped leaves. This protects the soil , Rock Gardens - A Different Kind of Garden and plant , Tulip Trees - The King of the Magnolias roots and moderates the effects of extreme temperature , Soils, the Natural Solution changes during winter , Introduction to Botany periods of freezes and thaws.

2. Cleaning-up the garden. , ing Using Trees and Shrubs with Scent in Mind Harvest warm-season crops such as tomatoes , How To Build A Patio Cover even though they are still green. , Gardening Using Trees and Shrubs with Scent in Mind Lie out on windowsills; or layer in boxes with newspapers between the layers of tomatoes. , How to Read a Seed Catalog They will slowly ripen or you can use green , Gardening for Wildlife tomatoes for fried green , Abatement Failure and Aborting Protocols tomatoes or various green , Three Tips for a Better and Cheaper Lawn tomato recipes. Pull out any remaining crops or spent annuals; clean up remaining debris and weeds , How to Conquer Caterpillars to decrease the possibility of disease , Introduction to Botany problems in the spring. , Garden Accessories

3. Evaluating your garden , Patio Furniture - Coordinating Cushions, Chairs, And Canopies design. Before you start winterizing your garden, , Brighten Your Path By Installing Decorative Landscape Lighting take a few minutes to review what worked and what didn't and make note of any areas that you would like to change , Garden Accessories in the spring. , Landscaping Tips: Japanese Garden Fundamentals

4. Prepare the soil , Real Men Use Reel Mowers for early spring , How to Read a Seed Catalog seeding. Turn over the garden , Patio Covers soil late in the season , Handcrafted Garden Bridges Builds Traditional Arched Span Bridges with Modern Flair while amending with organic , Gardening Supplies matter such as leaves, compost, , Handcrafted Garden Bridges Builds Traditional Arched Span Bridges with Modern Flair or well-rotted manure. In the spring, , Abatement Failure and Aborting Protocols a light , Creating Cutting Gardens raking is all that is needed.

5. Caring for trees , Gardening Using s and Shrubs with Scent in Mind and lawns. , Roses and Juniper Rock Gardens Protect the tender bark of young trees , Maintaining Water Quality in a Garden Pond from rabbits and gnawing critters by wrapping stems or trunks with chicken wire or commercial tree-guard products. , Soils, the Natural Solution To prevent rodents from nesting near buildings , Patio Chair Covers and trees, , Amaryllis - A Perfect Flower For the Festive Season trim tall grass, , Patio Gazebos - Add Some Intrigue to Your Patio and remove weeds. , Gardening Using Trees and Shrubs with Scent in Mind Deeply water trees , Flowers Guide and shrubs , Abatement Failure and Aborting Protocols so that they go into winter , Landscape Lighting With Solar Outdoor Lighting Fixtures is a Great Way to Save Money on Decorating well hydrated. Don't prune shrubs , Favorite Tea Herbs to Grow and trees , Handcrafted Garden Bridges Builds Traditional Arched Span Bridges with Modern Flair as it may stimulate new growth just before the harsh weather. , Rose Tending in June Cut lawns , Amaryllis - A Perfect Flower For the Festive Season and fertilise if you wish with a low nitrogen 'winter' blend. Use grass , 3 Easy Tips for Successful Container Gardening clippings for mulch or compost. , Sculpture Can Bring Life to Your Garden Never send them to the landfill, as they are excellent fertiliser left on the lawn , Teak Furniture - How to Care for it Properly (if they are not too long) and/or make terrific compost/mulch dug straight into the garden , Patio Chair Covers or used for pathways. Once rotted on garden , Patio Covers pathways, dig into the garden , Rock s - A Different Kind of Garden and replace with new grass , House Name Plates clippings.

6. Planting before winter. , Gardening with Garden Decor Now is the time to plant , Buying Teak Wood Furniture Responsibly bulbs. Garden , Rose Tending in June centres carry many varieties suitable for the prairies. Remember: buy good quality as cheap is not better - the larger the bulb , Our History with Blueberries - Reviving Their Home-Grown and Local Farm Status - the larger the bloom. Look for plumpness, firmness, clean skin, and surface. Directions for planting are included with the package.

7. Composting. Compost , Our History with Blueberries - Reviving Their Home-Grown and Local Farm Status dead plant , Buying Teak Wood Furniture Responsibly debris including leaves. Leaves are a valuable natural , Discount Patio Furniture - An Easy Way to Get the Best resource. Rather than a nuisance, they are the best soil , Rose Tending in June amendment as well as terrific mulches. Leaves take very little effort to recycle into a wonderful soil , Gardening with Garden Decor conditioner - leaf mould - for the yard , Real Men Use Reel Mowers and garden. , The Basics of Plant Growth; (Part 2) Plant Energy You can make leaf mould by the same process nature , Roses and Juniper Rock Gardens 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 , Soils, the Natural Solution fencing, or something similar. In the spring, , Patio Chair Covers I rake up dry leaves and dig them straight into the vegetable garden. , Abatement Failure and Aborting Protocols

8. Cleaning your tools. , Brighten Your Path By Installing Decorative Landscape Lighting Clean the soil , The Difference Between Large and Small Ponds from all your gardening , Sculpture Can Bring Life to Your Garden tools, oil any wooden , Three Tips for a Better and Cheaper Lawn handles and moving parts, sharpen any blades, and then store them in a dry place , Favorite Tea Herbs to Grow for the winter. , The Basics of Plant Growth; (Part 2) Plant Energy

9. Water Gardening. , Teak Patio Furniture Is The Perfect Choice For Your Terrace Bring in pumps, , Brilliant Beetroot! drain, clean, refill (if necessary) and store tender water plants , Seeding Your Lawn, Laid Bare prior to freezing.

10. Bringing in your indoor plants. , Amaryllis - A Perfect Flower For the Festive Season Before bringing in any houseplants , Creating Cutting Gardens that have spent the summer , Patio Chair Covers outdoors, examine them for critters, wash them, and spray with soapy water , Landscape Lighting With Solar Outdoor Lighting Fixtures is a Great Way to Save Money on Decorating or insecticidal soap. Use sterilised potting soil , Seeding Your Lawn, Laid Bare purchased from garden , Creating Cutting s centres or shopping malls if re-potting your plants. , Maintaining Water Quality in a Garden Pond Don't use garden , Amaryllis - A Perfect Flower For the Festive Season soil as it may harbour insects, weed , Patio Chair Covers seeds, disease, , A Teak Bench: The Perfect Complement To Any Outdoor Space and fungi.

Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden , Teak Furniture - How to Care for it Properly consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place , Gardening with Garden Decor Of Peace - Gardening , Soils, the Natural Solution For The Soil, , 3 Easy Tips for Successful Container Gardening Gardening , Abatement Failure and Aborting Protocols For The Soul. She owns the website Gwen's Healing Garden , 3 Easy Tips for Successful Container ing where you will find lots of free information , Handcrafted Garden Bridges Builds Traditional Arched Span Bridges with Modern Flair about gardening , Patio Gazebos - Add Some Intrigue to Your Patio for the soil , Gardening with Garden Decor and gardening , A Teak Bench: The Perfect Complement To Any Outdoor Space 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

Landscape Gardening

Seasonal Gardening