If you haven’t already, it is time to prepare your trees, shrubs, and plants for the winter. You want to be sure that you help your plants transition for the winter so that they remain healthy for the spring season.

You want to be sure your plants receive enough water throughout winter, but you do not want to keep your irrigation system turned on. The amount of water your garden needs during the colder months is significantly less than during the warmer times of year. Simply watering your plants with a garden hose periodically on an as-need basis is best.

Some of us forget that most perennials need to be cut back to the thick stalk of the plant. If the perennial does not bloom in the late fall or winter, and especially if it is leaning over, then it needs to be cut. One of the exceptions to this rule is Ornamental Grasses. These plants look very nice covered in snow. Of course there are a few other perennials that will not flop over and will look quite nice with snow covering the petals, so be sure to use your best judgment.

Before you bag the plant debris, put it aside to add to your compost pile. You will also want to remove all annuals you planted this year and place them in the compost pile as well. If you have not already, you need to remove the leaves from all your garden beds. The longer leaves sit there, the more likely the roots of your plants are susceptible to rotting. Add the leaves to your compost pile. The benefits of using leaves and plant clippings as a mulch in your garden bed are discussed in our earlier blogs. The compost can provide your garden beds with wonderful organic mulch in the spring.

You have saved the best for last: weeding. In the late fall/early winter, it is an important time to weed. After weeding, you might consider putting down a Winterizer on your lawn to prevent any weeds from growing over the winter. Before you head inside to call it a day, take the time to prune your trees and trim the shrubs. Your plants, trees, and shrubs will look healthier come springtime as a result of the TLC you provided them with today.