Preparing Your Garden for Winter

Preparing your landscape for winter is an important part of fall gardening

It's mid-October and it's time to start putting your garden to bed by preparing it for the tough winter months. Among the tasks that should be considered include:

Cutting Back Perennials

This will not only neaten the appearance of your garden, but also protect your plants from winter exposure while promoting lush new growth in the spring.

Weeding

Prevent harmful weeds from spreading while your garden is dormant by removing them this fall. It will make your job next spring that much easier!

Shrub Protection

If any of your shrubs are in an area that will incur a large snow load (such as areas under pitched roofs), erecting a shrub guard can allieve future breaking and snapping from these unexpected "drop-ins". Available at Estabrook's, these shrub guards are contructed from wood and burlap to create a tent over your precious landscape plants and protect them from the winter elements.

Mulch

While shrub guards will protect your plants from attacks above, a layer of bark mulch in your garden will protect your garden's root system. One of the most dangerous winter effects to any landscape are frost heaves, which are caused by a fluctuation in winter temperatures that cause the ground to freeze, then thaw, then freeze again. By laying down a layer of mulch in your garden, you create an insulation that will keep your ground at a constant temperature, which your garden's root system will appreciate.

Planting Bulbs

Just because you're putting your garden to bed doesn't mean you can't make some early preparations for next spring! Fall is the best time to plant bulbs and by laying the groundwork now, you'll reap the benefits this spring with beautiful tulips, daffodils and more.

Protecting Your Bulbs from Voles

One application of Soil Perfector can improve your soil permanently

Voles are small mammals that measure between 4-8.5" from head to tail. Often called field mice, these creatures destroy trees, shrubs, and other plants by gnawing on their trunks or eating their root systems. Spring bulbs can be especially susceptible to these attacks.

Signs of voles include 1-2" wide burrows and quarter size holes around your plants. Also look for 1/8-3/8" gnaw marks around plant stems that are formed at various angles. If your plant is leaning over and drooping, lift its root system from the ground to see if the roots have been eaten. If many of the above symptoms are present, then you probably have voles.

Luckily, Soil Perfector from Espoma can aid you in protection from these pests.

What is Soil Perfector?

Soil Perfector provides a permanent physical barrier to voles and is made from a naturally derived, ceramic mineral that is kiln-fired at temperatures in excess of 2000° F. This process creates a durable, lightweight, abrasive granule that voles are naturally discouraged to dig through. Soil Perfector is non-toxic and will not physically harm the voles. Furthermore, Soil Perfector will not break down or degrade in the soil so one application is all you ever need.

Directions

Dig a hole 2-3 inches deeper than the specific depth recommended for your bulb, then line the bottom of the hole with 2-3" of Soil Perfector. Set the bulb in your hole and fill the remainder with a minimum of a 3" lining of Soil Perfector. Backfill the remainder of the hole with a mix of 50% Soil Perfector and 50% previously removed soil.