There are many ways to winterize your garden. As with most gardens, there is no one right method. Rather, it should be something that everyone wants to do to enjoy gardening while pursuing their goals.
Some things to consider are pests, disease, plant damage, the appearance of your property in the winter, and wildlife habitat.
While my gardening philosophy is "do what you want to do, when you want to do it," there are times when some things are better. Cleaning up disease-causing debris, such as moldy or rusted leaves, as well as destructive insect nesting debris, such as leaf litter, is an important task. Cleaning up this fall will help prevent or reduce problems next year. Waste should not be composted, but composted, because many piles of compost are enough to destroy the organisms that try to destroy them.
The damage to the trees must be assessed. For example, if damaged branches are left in the forest or on a tree, wind or snow can cause further damage in winter. Any damage makes the plant more vulnerable to insect and disease problems. Troubleshooting is usually the best option. Cutting the wound will stop it from getting worse and a clean cut will start to heal faster.
Although there are more options for cleaning up waste from annual and perennial plants, these problems are very simple. How you want your garden to look in the winter can determine what to clean up in the fall. Some people like to clear away all the dead plant material to keep the beds clean during the winter, but at the end of the season you need to do something to keep everything clean.
If you're working in your garden during the winter, perhaps planting a tree or shrub, you'll want to keep plant debris upright so you don't accidentally dig it up or damage it. Not deleting them may help.
Additionally, some gardeners like to leave plant material over the winter to provide visual interest. And some do a combination of the two. perhaps clearing out all the annuals and perennials and ornamental grasses before spring storage.
However, dead plants, grass, and other materials left in garden beds provide winter habitat for birds, beneficial insects, and other pests. The remaining seed heads provide food and shelter for other plant debris.
Some plants, especially annuals, often thaw after a frost and don't look good if left over the winter. Others stop for part or all of the winter season.
These are some things to consider in the fall, but the most important thing for me is to do what you want to do to be happy. Why don't we make a garden?
This article originally appeared in the Amarillo Globe-News column, The Garden Guy. Preparing Your Garden for Winter:
