Winter gardening presents gardeners with unique challenges and opportunities. They can grow plants that are resistant to cold weather, and this will extend their growing season.
GWG interviewed master gardener Tom Witwicki about how he prepares for winter his Maine garden. See his tips on how to create a successful winter garden.
1. Plan Ahead:
Winter gardening presents unique challenges and opportunities to gardeners. They can grow plants that are resistant to cold weather and extend their growing season. Winter gardening is a great way to create a colourful, fruitful garden.
Planning and preparation are key to a successful winter garden. You need to plan when to plant your seeds and choose vegetables that are hardy enough to withstand the cold. Also, it is important to protect your plants from frost. When gardening in the winter, it is important to avoid soil erosion. Gardeners can use a variety of strategies to achieve this goal, including mulching, covering sensitive plant species, and row covers.
Last but not least, gardeners can consider adding colour to their winter landscape by planting flowers and shrubs. It can lift gardeners’ spirits and make them think of warmer weather. Winter aconites, species crocus, and sweet boxes can all be wonderful additions to a winter-garden. A winter garden can also be enhanced by shrubs like witch hazel or cornelian cherry.
2. Prevent Soil Erosion:
Gardeners face a number of challenges when it comes to soil erosion. It can damage your soil, the plants that you are trying to grow, and even wash chemical into your waterways. Wind, heavy rainfall and other natural factors can cause soil erosion. It can be prevented with simple changes in your landscaping and planting habits.
If you have a steep hill, for example, consider stabilising it by using vegetation that quickly colonises, such as perennial clovers or winter wheat. The roots will hold the soil together and slow down the flow of moisture. A layer of fabric, such as geo-textile or nylon matting, or just matting, can also stop wind from blowing loose soil away.
Avoid overwatering, as it can wash soil away. The soil can be contaminated by pesticides and fertilizers, and the water can pollute local waters. It can also reduce the oxygen content of the water and threaten aquatic life. This type of erosion can be particularly harmful to creeks, rivers and other waterways that receive runoff from homes and farms.
3. Cover Sensitive Plants:
Winter gardening can be a challenge but it can also provide gardeners with fresh flowers and produce throughout the entire winter. Winter gardening can be a success with careful planning and the selection of hardy plants.
Many vegetables that are grown in the cool season, like kale and chard, need protection from frost. To keep these greens warm, they can be grown in a cold frame or cloche. Mustard greens, cauliflower and leeks are other plants that can benefit from a covering.
Gardeners can cover their plants with frost cloths or horticultural fibre fleece, which are available at many hardware stores and garden centres. You can also use large blankets, burlap sacks, and drop cloths. They should be weighted or staked to prevent them from blowing away at night. As soon as it warms up, they should be removed to avoid moisture building on the stems and leaves.
Covering frost-sensitive perennials and shrubs will protect their leaves and flowers. Examples include witch hazel, cornelian cherry and sweet box (a small bushy evergreen shrub).
4. Protect Your Plants from Frost:
Early in the growing season, a frost or freeze may be disastrous for plants that grow during cool seasons, such as vegetables, flowers and herbs. Frost can be particularly harmful to young seedlings, and it can also prevent vegetables from ripening. This can result in a loss of harvest. Frost can cause stems, leaves and fruit to be limp, shrivelled, or transparent. When damaged plants thaw, they may taste bitter or unappealing.
With the right tools and some planning, protecting your garden can be a simple task. Keep an eye on the local weather forecast and have old sheets ready.
Watering your plants thoroughly in the evening, when frost is predicted, is one of the best things you can do to protect them. Moisturised soil radiates warmth upward and acts as an insulator, protecting the roots from cold. Another option is to cover sensitive plants in a layer breathable fabric. You can use old bed sheets, blankets and drop cloths. Commercial frost cloths and row covers are also available at garden stores.
5. Keep Your Plants Hydrated:
Winter gardens require a bit more care than your typical garden but are still great fun. You’ll need to water your plants, whether they’re flowers, vegetables or shrubs.
Mulch (straw or leaves, shredded paper, or cardboard) can help moderate soil temperatures and reduce runoff. Mulch improves soil structure and also suppresses the growth of weeds.
It is best to water plants in the morning, before the sun comes up and evaporates the water more quickly. Avoid watering your plants in the late afternoon, as this will encourage disease and rot.
Even if you don’t get much rain, your garden plants still need 1 inch of water per week. Be sure to check rainfall each week and add more water if necessary.
