by Susan Klatz Beal

Created on: March 06, 2009   Last Updated: March 21, 2009

The task of winterizing a garden really begins in fall. By taking the time to prepare the garden for winter, it is possible to protect the garden's health and assure a good crop the following summer.

As soon as night time temperatures drop to 45 degrees and stay there for several days, or just before a forecast for frost, nature is telling us that it is time to start to prepare for winter.

1.) Take the time to review the garden design.

*Make notes about the plants that grew successfully and those that weren't so successful.

*Take the time to decide what plants will stay and which will have to be removed.

*After the perennials are done blooming, consider dividing or moving anything for which the time is appropriate. It is only safe to divide or move those perennials that bloom between early spring and the end of June.

Anything that blooms after the end of June shouldn't be divided or moved until spring. They should be moved early in the spring before the new growth emerges.

*Wildflower seeds can be sown.

*Vegetables like escarole, endive and Brussels Sprouts can be planted.

*If you live in a very temperate climate, this is also a time when lettuce, spinach, peas and radishes can be planted, since those can be planted and harvested all winter.

2.) Cleaning up the garden is part of the winterizing process.

*Dig up weeds and rake the leaves. Getting rid of the leaves and weeds will prevent them from rotting and possibly harboring harmful insects and the diseases they may carry.

3.) Dig up annuals after harvesting seeds that will be used for the next spring's annuals.

*Harvest vegetables that can't tolerate the cold temperatures.

*Take tender perennials inside

*Lift non-hardy summer bulbs from the soil. This should wait until a light freeze has killed the foliage and forced the plants into dormancy. Cut off the dormant foliage and leave about 1 inch of stem growth on the bulbs or rhizomes.

*Make sure spring bulbs are planted. They should be planted well in advance of a first freeze.

4.) Use mulch to protect flower beds, empty vegetable patches and the area around trees and bushes.

*Young and newly planted trees should be protected by wrapping the trunk and ensuring that they are properly supported by stakes.

*Pile a heavy layer of mulch around the trunk of the tree. Other trees will benefit from mulch as well.

*Once the beds are cleaned out and perennials have gone into dormancy, the beds can be covered with a layer of mulch. The mulch should be about 5 - 8 inches deep.

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