Preparing Your Garden and Lawn for Winter

Cold weather is approaching, is your lawn and garden prepared?

To avoid destroying all of your hard work from the previous warmer months, it’s recommended to begin prepping for the seasonal freezes a few weeks in advance.

Start with fertilizer. It is ideal to use slow-release fertilizers on your lawn to provide the right nutrients. Grass and plants can store the excess energy for the colder months.

To prevent the growth of weeds, a pre-emergent herbicide should do the trick. A pre-emergent herbicide will prevent the germination and growth of weed seeds. They do not affect any established plant life, so you do not have to worry about those areas around your existing plants.

For the existing weeds, you can use a post-emergent herbicide. There are two types: selective and non-selective. Selective herbicides only affect specific types of weeds. On the other hand, non-selective herbicides will kill all living plants, even your grass. Be sure to read the labels carefully.
Do some research on plants that do well in cold weather. There are many options to choose from. Some are even quite colorful. If you have a green thumb, there are many cold season vegetables such as broccoli, lettuce and other greens. A good tip is to loosen the soil around your garden or yard to allow for easier absorption of water, preventing the water from pooling.

For smaller potted plants, it’s a good idea to bring them indoors on cold nights, especially your warm weather plants. If you think some of your plants are not mature enough to make it through the winter, try digging them up, putting them in a pot, and moving them indoors. Even a garage can provide more warmth if you don’t want to turn your home into a jungle.