The leaves have all fallen and picked up themselves on the base of the timber, on the garden, and within the beds. The deciduous shrubs and bushes stand bare and upright. Aside from the evergreens, the backyard is a discipline of browns and grays.
You could suppose that now is an efficient time to crack open the primary seed catalog and begin planning subsequent yr’s plantings with a sizzling cup of tea in a comfortable chair, however your winter backyard nonetheless wants tending. Sure, simply because the backyard is dormant doesn’t imply there’s nothing to do.
Right here’s an inventory of 5 chores you are able to do in your backyard over winter.
1. Prune.
You’ll be able to prune sure timber, bushes, and shrubs. Some might be pruned in early winter (December and January) and others in late winter (February and March). For timber, any time in winter, when the leaves are gone and you’ll clearly see their construction and spot potential issues (lacking bark, fungus, and many others.), is good to prune out branches which can be lifeless, diseased, or that cross one another. When branches cross, they’ll rub and trigger a wound the place fungus and micro organism can acquire entry. The one time to chop out black knot, a typical fungal illness, is in winter when it received’t unfold.
For many shrubs and bushes that flower in spring, both don’t prune them or prune them sparingly. Word that in the event you select to prune in winter, you may be pruning out spring blooms, so prune with a objective and settle for lacking spring flowers as a part of the deal. An instance could be most hydrangeas. Pruning within the winter will take away their flowers.
The exception is a panicle hydrangea which blooms in summer season. You’ll be able to minimize a panicle hydrangea right down to 18 inches as soon as it goes dormant in early winter. Similar goes for butterfly bushes that must be minimize right down to the bottom. Late winter, roses might be reduce to about 18”. Evergreens might be pruned earlier than new development begins. Seek the advice of your native cooperative extension workplace for sources as to easy methods to prune particular bushes and shrubs.
2. Go away the leaves.
You don’t must bag the leaves and produce them to the curb. As a substitute, use them in your property as free winter mulch, defending your vegetation from the chilly. After they decompose, they turn out to be leaf mildew and fantastic and free fertilizer. You’ll be able to run your mulching mower over the leaves on the garden and add vitamins to your garden. Leaving the leaves additionally supplies a house for the bugs that pollinate subsequent yr’s flowers. This additionally contains the spent flower stems. The solitary bees, varied moths and butterflies, and different helpful bugs hibernate within the leaf litter and lifeless plant stems. Eradicating them removes an vital a part of your yard ecosystem. In case you discover them an eyesore, trim them a bit to neaten them up.
3. Assess your backyard’s ‘bones.’
With out all of the greenery and fairly vegetation to distract you, it’s simpler to see the construction of your backyard. Perhaps you wish to transfer a path that’s not working or put in a birdbath. Perhaps you wish to add or take away a mattress? Make a mattress larger? Add a couple of extra shrubs or bushes to create an out of doors ‘room’? Now’s the time to interrupt out a pad and paper and discover concepts for subsequent yr.
4. Accumulate and sow seeds.
Did the ocean oat grass work out and also you need extra? Did the goldenrod delight you? Did you at all times need poppies? Winter is the right time to sow wildflowers. For the perfect time in your space, examine your USDA hardiness zone. For locations with extra extreme winters, late fall is greatest. However for zones 7 via 11, October by January works nicely.
To make use of the seed you have already got in your backyard, shake the seed heads the place you’d like extra of these vegetation. For bought seeds, examine the planting information on the again and easily shake the seed packet over the locations the place you need the vegetation. For poppies and different vegetation requiring chilly stratification, the place the seeds must undergo freezes and thaws to germinate, earlier than a snowfall is ideal.
5. Compost.
Simply because it’s winter doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t begin a compost pile. (The chilly temperatures will merely make the composting course of slower.) Collect your greens and browns. The greens are, nicely, something inexperienced or colourful, grass and kitchen scraps. The browns are leaves, and shredded newspaper. Make sure that the dimensions of all of the bits you’re including is fairly small. The smaller the dimensions, the quicker it’s going to break down. Alternate layers of greens and browns. Excessive chilly will cease the decomposition course of, so if attainable, put the compost pile or container in a sheltered space. Don’t flip your pile in winter. Doing so will dissipate the warmth wanted. Go away this job for spring.
If you have already got a compost pile, now is an efficient time to take away the completed compost and unfold it round your backyard. Over the winter, the freezes and thaws will permit the composted vitamins to work their manner into the soil.
Now after doing all of that, you may have earned that cup of tea and may retire to the cozy chair to start out planning your seed orders for subsequent yr.
For extra on winter chores, see:
N.B.: This submit was first printed December 2021; it has been up to date with new pictures and hyperlinks.
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