How to Prepare Your Garden for Winter?
Lawn Care
Don't underestimate autumn lawn care. Regular raking of fallen leaves prevents their gradual decomposition and the formation of fungal diseases. Metal rakes not only provide a comfortable grip, but their large surface area easily handles all moss, leaves and debris, saving you plenty of time. Don't forget to mow the lawn while the grass is still growing (which is usually until the end of November). A mower with a collection basket is ideal, saving you the subsequent raking of remnants.
It's also very important to fertilize in autumn, primarily with fertilizer high in potassium, which helps protect the lawn against frost. There are many products available on the market - BOPON fertilizer protects the lawn against freezing and diseases. So if you want to have a beautifully healthy carpet in your garden come spring, don't forget to fertilize!
Composting
Raked leaves don't have to be burned or simply thrown away - they are perfect biological material that you can use as fertilizer in spring thanks to composting. Some leaves (oak, chestnut, walnut) decompose more slowly; you can help them by running over them with a mower into smaller pieces before placing them in the composter. A compost accelerator will help kickstart the process. Always try to get the most out of your garden!
Which plants will survive the winter? Bulbous plants survive only thanks to their storage organs, annuals won't survive winter and you can plant new flowers in their place in spring. Biennials will overwinter if they weren't planted too late and their rosettes have already grown strong and large.
Ornamental Grasses
Winterizing them is very simple - it's sufficient to tie the entire grass clump together with twine to create an imaginary sheaf. In spring, simply cut this sheaf close to the ground and discard it, or add it to compost. The rule is - we don't trim ornamental grasses in autumn, but always in spring!
Trees and Shrubs
Pay particular attention to young trees and shrubs. You can prepare them for winter by mounding soil and fallen leaves around their trunks, or you can use homemade compost. Wrap the trunks in jute to prevent them from freezing. Before winter, water all shrubs and trees thoroughly to prevent frost damage.
Hedges
For hedges, the rule is to trim them in autumn - if sharp scissors aren't part of your toolkit yet, don't forget to get some. Then water the hedge thoroughly before the frost begins. Also mound soil around the plants, though mulch bark is ideal.
Fruit Trees and Shrubs
As with all the previous plants, mound leaves or soil around fruit trees, or alternatively compost. You can paint the trunk with lime, which will protect the tree from frost. A second alternative is to wrap the trunk in special film. For complete protection, also add sticky bands, which protect the tree from pests.
Perennials
Typical perennials include lavender, thyme, and sage. Remove dry leaves, spent flowers, and damaged parts of the plant. Wrap perennials that are more sensitive to frost in jute and mound them with soil or leaves. Tie up larger plants, and if you have mulch between your beds, top it up - it works well against frost. After that, water perennials about twice a month, but only when the temperature is above zero, ideally around 5 degrees Celsius.
Plants in Pots
You have two options - the simpler option is to move the pots to a room where it's neither warm nor freezing (a garage or conservatory is ideal). The second option is to transplant the plants into the garden bed for winter, one after another, for example after annuals. You can fertilize them with autumn fertilizer, which will prepare the plants well for winter.
Roses
You can find detailed instructions on winterizing different types of roses in the previous article about rose winterization.