Most of us only think about tending to our flowerbeds and gardens while the sun is warm and the days are longer. During the cold, brief winter days such responsibilities usually fall to the wayside, but such neglect is a mistake for the informed gardener. Winter neglect can lead to springtime troubles. There are a number of things you can do to ensure the health of your garden or flowerbed display as the bitter cold sets in.
1. Re-mulch Your Flowerbed – Many of us tend to focus on mulching our flowerbeds during spring when an invasion of weeds is the most likely. Though just because weed growth slows down in the frost months doesn’t mean that mulch is any less important. Mulch during the fall and winter can help preserve moisture in your flowerbed to prevent the desiccation of your plants’ roots. A layer of mulch can also assist with root insulation from frost and snow. Just make sure you remove any lingering weeds in your flowerbed before laying your mulch down. If
you need expert advice and assistance with application from a professional mulch company in Montgomery County, PA, then we’d be happy to assist.
- Soil Prep – There can be numerous benefits to caring for your soil before the first major frost of the year instead of waiting until spring. If you till your soil in your flowerbed before winter, it can be a huge improvement when it comes to improving drainage during heavy snowfall periods. Adding fertilizer and other soil amendments at this time can be a great idea as well. The extra time afforded over the slow cold season gives different materials a chance to break down and become active in time for spring planting.
3. Protect Your Shrubs and Trees – A little trick to keep the base of your shrubs and trees insulated and protected from frost is to surround the base of a shrub or tree with snow fencing. Snow fencing is a barrier that is applied to all sorts of purposes to deal with snowfall and accumulation. In this case, the intended use would be to surround your tree or shrub with a small amount of space between the fence and the plant itself. A very short height snow fence would be ideal. Once your perimeter is set around your plant, fill the area with straw or leaves to insulate it over the winter.
A gardener or landscape enthusiast’s work is never really done, not even when the plants themselves slow down. If you need any assistance with your own projects this winter, consider Anthony Landscapes. Anthony Landscapes offers a variety of services for lawn and flowerbed care, and even provide high-quality paver patio installation in Bucks County. Contact us today to learn more.