Prepare the Garden for Its Winter Slumber
By admin | November 15, 2008
For those who live through winter, the gardening
season is over. But not really. There IS work to do!
If you have not tidied up the garden, there is still
time before the ground freezes and is covered
with snow.
Pull out the rest of the annuals. It is too late to
trim any perennials, so leave these alone.
Mound mulch around your favorite rose bush
and other perennials. Some recommend piling
up leaves over perennials. Others don’t. The
argument is that leaves tend to rot. However,
if you’ve done this before and it works for
you, go for it.
Bring in your precious garden ornaments. Wash
and dry these before storage. Hanging baskets
should be taken down if you intend to re-use them
next year. Most urns and big planters are safe to
leave outdoors, except those made of terracotta
and other breakable materials. Planters made of
heavy duty polyresin, plastic,cast iron or metal can
withstand freezing temperatures.These can be
stashed away in a safe corner to keep them away
from snow removal. However, if you want color, decorate
these planters for the Christmas season. It adds a
festive mood to your garden.
Protect the spring bulbs by covering these with screen
material or a wire mesh and pile up mulch generously.
Those pesky four-legged creatures do not hibernate
over winter. Don’t forget to uncover these come Spring.
Take a good look at your garden, envision what
worked, what didn’t last summer. A bare garden plot
is a canvas waiting for someone to express creativity.
This is a chance for you to re-assess the arrangement
of plants. If you like a change of garden design for
next season, this is the best time to study the garden
layout to get a good idea what changes you will
undertake next season.
If you have rocks or stones in your garden, spend
some time to rearrange, to strengthen or fill in the
gaps. If you have ideas of adding more rocks, it’s
a good time to work on the garden while it ’s bare.
Don’t forget the garden tools. These will last
longer if you clean these up and store them
properly. Bring in the nozzles for your hose.
These tend to crack if left on the hose over
winter.
Tidbit: Store the rake, pitchfork , fan rake
and shovels facing downwards, or the wall if
you are lucky enough to have a place to hang these.
As you walk around your bare garden, feel the
aura of stillness it projects as it prepares for its
winter slumber. The garden at this time can
still be a place for a quiet moment as you fill your
lungs with the fresh and crisp chill of November.
Bonnie Moss writes to inspire and to motivate
her readers to explore the depths of their heart and
soul and make a difference in this world. She draws
from personal experience and her interest in the New Age
Visit her website =>http://goldencupcafe.tripod.com