Advice on what plants can survive winter conditions and how to protect them from the cold.
Winter can prove quite challenging to the gardener, but it is simply a season packed with opportunities and special jobs that continue to keep the green thumb busy.
Having spent many winters tending the cold soil of a garden in Peterborough, New Hampshire, I can vouch for it: winter gardening is all about preparation, protection, and planning for the vibrant seasons ahead.
We are here to guide you on some of the important tasks and planting tips to help keep your garden very much alive even in the frostiest months.
Winter Gardening: Chores and Key Planting Information
Preparing the garden for winter should begin long before the first frost. Here’s how:
Make Clean and Mulch:
Clean off the fallen leaves, dead plants, and debris from your garden. Not only does this make your garden look tidy, but it also protects it from overwintering pests and diseases.
Mulch with a thick layer to protect the cleaned soil. Mulching will save moisture and provide insulation to plant roots from extreme temperatures.
Personal Tip: Love homemade compost mixed with straw as a mulch; it gives extra nutrients and insulates the soil to keep it warm.
Making Those Perenn
At this time of year, perennials are given a little extra care to carry them through the winter. Cut back foliage to prevent disease, and mulch the base of the plants.
Don’t forget that stronger winds and frosts can also be combated with the use of burlap wraps or cloches for more delicate perennials.
Watering Schedule:
Make sure plants are well-watered prior to the ground freezing. Hydrated plants can best tolerate cold weather. Avoid overwatering; it may result in root rot.
Winter Planting: What to Plant
Believe it or not, there are certain hardy vegetables and flowers that actually grow best in winter. Here are some of the best:
Hardy Vegetables:
Kale, Brussels sprouts, and winter lettuce are some of the vegetables that enjoy colder conditions. Plant them into the ground in late fall to harvest in the winter.
These vegetables not only will tolerate frost, but many of them will taste better after having been exposed to a bit of cold.
Winter Flowers:
Flowers like pansies and violas, hellebores bloom during the winter season, giving your garden a great look.
These flowers brighten the dreariest of winter days and provide cheer.
Personal Experience: One winter, I planted pansies in the pots on either side of my front door. Each morning, their bright colors seemed to say ‘Good Morning.’ and really helped take the chill off cold winter mornings.
Greenhouse Gardening:
Winter is the prime time to plant a lot of stuff, including herbs like parsley, cilantro, and mint, which sometimes struggle just a bit being planted outside in winter.
This is the place where these plants find the best habitat, under the regulated environment provided by a greenhouse.
Winter Gardening Must To Do List
Keeping on top of a few critical jobs will help ensure your garden’s survival through the winter:
Pruning:
This can be done in winter, probably when there will be less sap moving around, which will be the ideal time. It also allows the plant enough time to regrow new, healthy growth.
Make sure that your cutting tools are kept clean and are sharp. This will help you avoid disease transfer.
