Although the winter season is cold and frosty, you can still do something in your garden. Learn about some of the top tips for gardening in the winter here.
As the cold season sets in, not much gardening happens in many homesteads. However, despite the chilly weather and the frost, you can still do something in your garden this winter. As an adept farmer, you are well aware that the cold season will come and pass and you will be able to plant your beloved crops again.
The winter season, therefore, becomes one of the best seasons you can utilize to prepare your garden for the forthcoming planting period. In this article, you will find some tips on how you can take care of your garden during the winter season.
1. Mulch your garden
Mulching your garden during winter is a smart move as it is designed to block weed from growing as well as ensuring that the soil retains moisture and warmth your plants will need very soon.
If you have some perennial plants in the garden, mulching will protect the roots and prevent the bulbs from frosting.
2. Eliminate weed in the garden
This is a perfect time to eliminate weed from your garden. Once removed, the weather conditions are too harsh to allow re-germination. You can till the ground to make it softer and then cover with mulch as you await the planting season.
3. Grow veggies
If you do not like leaving your garden bare over the winter season, you can always plant veggies which are frost resistant. Examples of such veggies include Brussels, spinach, cauliflower, peas, collards, and some cabbage species.
4. Create compost
Composting over winter is quickly becoming a popular activity among many gardeners. The cool temperatures should not deter you from doing the same. Find a compost bin or simply do it in a hole on the ground. Remember to cover the organic matter so that it can retain the heat it needs to decompose over the season.
5. Remove foliage and dead vegetation
Pests love to take advantage of foliage as they lay in wait for the next crop. Avoid transferring diseases to the new crops by removing the foliage and burning the same. If the foliage seems healthy, you can always take it to the composting bin.
6. Test the soil
Since you will not be doing much planting this season, you can test the soil so that you can be well prepared when the planting season comes. Test for the pH to be able to know what minerals or nutrients you need to add so that you can have the perfect crop in the coming season.
7. Take care of perennials
Perennials are important and while taking care of the weed in the garden, always take measures to protect these plants. You can mark where they are using sticks to avoid damaging them.
8. Polish your gardening tools
It’s time to pack your gardening tools. Make sure that all sharp edges have been well polished, sharpened and lubricated. Then store them in a dry place or hang them in the shed. Ensure that you have cleaned everything well before storage. You do not want rust to set in.
9. Collect and save seeds
Collecting and saving seeds will save you a good amount of money come planting season. Make sure that these seeds are healthy and then preserve them the right way.
10. Drain water from the garden
If you have an irrigation system set up, turn off the taps and drain the water from the garden. If the hoses are metallic, remove them, clean them and store them away to prevent them from rusting. Clean your cans and store them well.
These are just a few tips to help you prepare your garden this winter.
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