After months of hard work ensuring our garden is as beautiful as it can be, the cold dark winter has us scared for its safety. Helping us make sure it comes back next year, just as amazing as it was this year, is Mark Cullen, Master Gardener.
How can I best prepare my garden for winter?
You can prepare your garden for winter in a number of ways:
- Wrap upright evergreens with two layers of burlap. Sunny and windy winter days can dry out the needles if they are not protected. Snow and ice can accumulate on the branches of unprotected plants causing them to break. Be sure to leave the top and bottom of the plants open about 12 inches to allow air circulation.
- Fertilize your lawn with a fall formula. In the late fall, a fertilizer specifically formulated for fall is the most important application of the year as this builds up the roots for the long cold winter ahead.
- Cover tender roses with 50 centimetres of fresh top soil. In late autumn, after ground frost and before the ground freezes thoroughly, mound soil around the base of each rose plant. For most parts of Canada, this should be done between the middle and end of October. Give roses a thorough watering to prepare them for winter.
- Spray broadleaf evergreens like holly and rhododendrons with WiltPruf. This is an anti-transpirant designed to reduce moisture loss due to winter kill, windburn and drought.
Mark Cullen is a best selling author and one of Canada’s most prolific garden writers. His radio and television programs and appearances reach millions of Canadians each week and he attends and participates in gardening events across the country.
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