Five steps to prepare your garden for winter
You need to prepare your garden for winter in early fall because you don’t want to be caught off guard by cooler temperatures or run out of time. Most of Texas doesn’t have as well pronounced seasons as other parts of the country.
Weed, clean and prune Fall is the perfect time for garden maintenance like pruning and removing dead or unwanted plants. Weeding and applying preemergence weed killers will also minimize the work your garden requires later.
When plants go dormant for winter, it’s time to prune. Arnold recommends removing dead limbs and overlapping branches on trees, setting scaffold branching on orchard plants, and pruning shrubs that bloom on new wood — the current season’s growth — by early February. Plants blooming on old wood — the previous season’s growth — should be pruned immediately after flowering in the spring.
Use fallen leaves as mulch or compost Fallen leaves make an ideal mulch or compost. It is never too early because it keeps in moisture and protects roots from extreme temperatures. Make sure the mulch is down before the first hard freeze in your area. Use mulched leaves or shredded bark around the crown of tender perennials for protection, just be sure to remove it prior to resumption of growth in the spring.
Protect plants and pipes Potted plants have roots that will get colder than those planted in the ground. Tropical plants will need to be in a warmer area of a home with a sunny window, while other plants can be placed in a garage with a window or on a protected porch.
If landscape plants are sensitive to the cold, you might want to take cuttings to propagate and overwinter. Arnold recommends watching for cold nights and observing at-risk plants that may need to be protected. Light blankets or tarps may be placed on them overnight to protect them from frost.
An important and sometimes overlooked “winterization” chore for homeowners is to locate their drainage and cutoff valves to protect outdoor pipes and irrigation systems. Irrigation pipes should be drained prior to the first hard freeze. Exterior spigots and exposed pipes should also be covered with insulators.
Clean, repair tools and organize Winter is a great time to clean and maintain tools like shears and lawnmowers. It gives gardeners time to repair and replace tools they don’t immediately need. It’s a good time to sharpen blades and perform routine maintenance. It might also be a good time to put some tools and products away for the winter.