17 tips to get your Garden ready for Winter and Preparation Tips | AGROCOTE

17 tips to get your Garden ready for Winter and Preparation Tips | AGROCOTE

Winter gardening: How to maintain your garden and lawn in cold weather
Arnold provided his thoughts on what the Texans should be doing now to prepare for the upcoming seasons.

1. Discard any spent annuals.

Plant cool-season annuals in your garden for winter colour. “By choosing season-appropriate plants, annuals are a cost-effective method to give temporary colour to your garden year-round,” Arnold added. You should also plant wildflower seeds right away if you have them.

2. Trim back trees and shrubs

It’s time to prune as the weather cools and plants go dormant for the winter. Arnold suggests lifting limbs on shade trees, eliminating overlapping branches on trees, installing scaffold branching on orchard plants, and pruning shrubs that blossom on new wood before early February. He emphasises the necessity of recognising whether a tree blooms on new or old wood, such as crepe myrtle or apple or pear. “When you prune branches on plants that flower on old wood, you are removing buds that were placed in the fall and will bloom in the spring,” Arnold explained. He advised “pruning plants blossoming on aged wood shortly after blooming.”

3. Grow trees and shrubs.

Planting woody plants in late fall allows roots to grow before the summer heat. The Texas A&M Forest Service includes many web apps that provide good tree species alternatives and suggestions for certain Texas regions, as well as information on tree maintenance, including pest and disease management.

4. Remove weeds and clean

Many gardeners will discover that when we reach the winter season, it is the ideal time to remove unwanted plants. Weeding now will reduce the amount of effort your garden will require over the next three seasons. If preferred, gardeners should also apply a pre-emergent herbicide, often known as a “weed killer,” to cool-season weeds in landscape beds and turf areas.

5. Sow grass seed

Temperatures have fallen sufficiently to allow overseeding turfgrass or straight seeding of grass seed into your lawn without disturbing the soil. “But that’s a two-edged sword,” Arnold pointed out. “You can grow lush, green grass even in the winter, but you must be prepared to care for it.” Mow after the seed has germinated. So maybe reconsider if you want to do it.”

6. Transplant real cool-season plants and divide perennials.

Cool-season plants such as pansies, snapdragons, dianthus, decorative cabbage, kale, and others are ideal. Remember that annuals normally only live for a season, whereas perennials can live for years or even decades.

7. Think about planting winter vegetables.

Many portions of Texas can get in one last late-fall harvest, and if you live in a warmer part of the state, now is the time to transplant cool-season vegetables.

8. Compost or mulch falling leaves

Fallen leaves are an excellent mulch or compost material. Arnold suggests placing mulched leaves or shredded bark around the crown of fragile perennials for protection in late fall, after the first few frosts but before the first harsh freeze.

9. Take cuttings of any tender or vulnerable plants.

If your plants are cold-sensitive, you should take cuttings to proliferate and overwinter them. Arnold suggests keeping an eye out for chilly nights and identifying vulnerable plants that may need to be safeguarded. To protect them from frost, throw light blankets or tarps over them overnight.

10. Relocate non-cold hardy potted plants

“Remember that potted plants’ roots will be colder than those in the ground,” Arnold advised. Keep in mind that plants brought indoors may shed their leaves in reaction to a shift in light, but will regrow new ones. Tropical plants should be kept in a warmer part of the house with a sunny window, while other plants can be kept in a garage with a window or on a sheltered porch.

11. Go to your neighborhood’s public gardens.

Arnold believes that this is the season to be motivated. He suggests going to your local public gardens and noting trees, shrubs, and vines that provide fall and winter appeal; consider planting them for future years. “We get all kinds of various forms, colours, and textures from different plants at The Gardens to teach people what they may plant in their own garden,” he explained. “With a little preparation, you can build a landscape that is enjoyable throughout the year.”

12. Clean your tools and plan your spring plants.

“Winter is a great time to catch up,” Arnold explained. Winter allows gardeners to repair and replace tools they won’t need right away, in addition to planning future plantings.

13. Get your pipes ready.

Arnold believes that the most important thing homeowners should do in preparation for winter is to identify their drainage and cutoff valves in order to preserve and protect their pipes and irrigation systems. “Find your valves today and learn how to turn them off.” Purchase or make insulating materials for exposed pipes and external spigots.

14. Consider delayed gratification.

“Long-term herbaceous perennials and bulbs must be planted well before enjoying them,” he says. “So now is an excellent opportunity to get some perennials into the ground and established before the cold weather arrives.” Arnold suggested chilling bulbs for about 6 weeks before planting them in mid-December, so they’ll be ready for spring flowering.”

15. Exercise patience

Plants that appear to be dead, according to Arun, may still be dormant come spring. He claims that as the temperature warms, you can gently scratch the stem. It’s alive if it’s still green underneath. “Patience,” he advised. “A little fertiliser and TLC can do wonders.”

16. Maintain a Positive Attitude

According to experts, one should be positive and have a positive attitude. This optimism could lead to better results.

17. Learn more about Plants and weather on Content on the Edge.

Alternatively, obtain information from other websites and learn more plant-care strategies. To learn more, go to contentontheedge.com and scroll down to the AGROCOTE section.

Watch Video Below by The Gardening Channel With James Prigioni