Winter Gardening

Winter Tips and Tricks for the Garden

 Most of the nation forgets about gardening during the winter. Why not? Things are dormant, it's cold and you don't want to go out in the frigid winds and snow. Your plants, however, may need you to keep an eye on them during the winter months -- particularly if they're young.

December:

December is the beginning of winter and the harsh elements that go along with it. It's also about getting your plants protected before the onslaught of snow, ice, winds and freezing temperatures.

• Protect the bark of your younger trees by wrapping them with tree wrap. Young trees, especially thin-barked species such as fruit trees, are prone to bark-splitting.
• Tie the branches and stems of your shrubs together with tree tape or twine. This helps protect thinner branches and stems from breaking under the heavy snow.
• Protect your evergreens from the harsh salts used on roads and sidewalks during the winter by gently placing protective burlap or canvas over them.
• Create a 12-inch mound of soil and organic mulch around roses and other shrubs.

January:

Late December into January brings the harsh winds and elements that can quickly damage your plants. January is also about protection for your plants.

• Trudge through the snow and check out the bark on your young trees for signs of rodent or other animal damage. Several species of animal will go after bark -- especially when other food sources are hard to find.
• Spread some ashes from the fireplace on top of the garden, particularly if you have acidic soil you wish to sweeten. For best results, you should only do this if you know the pH of your soil from a soil test, but you can still add some ashes to help raise the pH a small bit.

February:

February is the month of preparation for the coming spring -- the month to make sure your plants and garden will be at their full potential when the sun brings them out of hibernation.

• Test any seeds you have left over from the previous years by placing them in warm, moist paper towels to see if they germinate. Buy new seeds if less than 60 percent germinate.
• Plant your seeds inside -- especially your early season bloomers and those that need at least 5 weeks before being transplanted.
• Get ready for pruning -- late February and early March is the ideal time for pruning several plants. Be careful, you only want to prune your summer bloomers in late winter and early spring; spring-bloomers have already set their buds.

In addition to this timeline, you'll also want to start preparing for new plants during the cold winter months. In January, start ordering plants from catalogs. Start sketching out your garden to see where you're going to want new bulbs, perennials and shrubs. A good plan leads to an easier springtime shopping spree at the nurseries.