Fall is the perfect time to exercise outside while preparing your garden for optimal production next spring. Soil prep is key.
When the spring rolls around and the weather begins to get a little bit warmer, most people spring into garden mode and prepare to plant their crop. However, others know that a garden doesn’t have to deal strictly in fruits and vegetables. You can actually grow a garden in the fall and winter if you know which plants will survive and how to treat them if it gets too cold. You can have an attractive garden year round.
It’s very important that you know your climate. If you live up in Montana, for example, you might have to deal with a little too much snow and ice and thus won’t be able to grow a whole lot. States like Texas and Arizona should have no trouble growing a lot more, and states in the middle of the country with mixed weather also have different things they can and cannot grow. Figure out your climate zone if you want your garden to survive the winter.
Although ornamental trees and shrubs of the evergreen variety are going to cost a little more initially, this is an investment that’s going to pay off. When everyone else is dealing with a barren yard where nothing is growing, your yard will be full of great-looking trees and shrubs. However, you want to plant them before the winter so they become acclimated to the surroundings and their roots grow.
Berry plants are great for growing in the wintertime. However, you will definitely have to check on which varieties are available in your particular climate. Just because a berry bush will grow in the winter doesn’t mean that it will grow just anywhere. It needs to be a climate-specific type of plant if you’re expecting it to blossom and to give you any type of harvest at all. There are many to choose from; just choose wisely.
A great way to ensure a healthy garden in the cold seasons is to use containers instead of planting in the ground. This gives you a lot more control over the soil. Plus it allows you to really brighten things up by using colorful, attractive containers. A side note here. Make sure that you use a darker-colored container. These will absorb heat better and help to keep the roots from freezing completely.
Having a garden in the fall and winter isn’t only about getting a few berries and having a few pieces of green strewn throughout the yard. You want to go ahead and create a great look this season, so you need some colorful ornaments placed in strategic places to really brighten the yard up. Think about different lawn ornaments, a table, some chairs or benches, etc.
Gardening in the fall and winter is really easy to do as long as you’re getting the right plants. Most evergreens and berry plants are really low maintenance, and the biggest issue you’ll have is figuring out how to color coordinate your entire yard. Use these tips to provide some good inspiration for the next winter garden you plant.
