Home gardeners expend plenty of time, sweat, and money working on their garden throughout the warm seasons. Your garden is an investment, so you want to take certain steps to make sure that investment lasts through the winter weather. This means protecting your plants for the frigid temperatures ahead. Your Johnson City lawn experts at Promier Landscapes suggest each gardener take three steps to help ensure their plants last until next spring: mulching, upcycling, and heeling. Let’s take a closer look at all three of these strategies, how to do them, and why they matter.
Winter mulching is an easy and cost-effective way to protect plants before the weather turns cold. Using whole or shredded dead leaves is a popular choice for winter mulch but other fine mulch materials for the cold season include pine straw or bark mulch. Whatever material you choose, the mulch should be placed the same way—heaped around any perennial plants you want to save. Once applied, mulch will moderate the temperature and moisture content of your soil during the winter while also serving as a protective barrier against frigid winds. Mulching also safeguards against a phenomenon known as “freeze-thaw” or “frost-heave.” This occurs when water in the soil freezes and expands, then thaws and contracts, proceeding to push up plants out of the soil and potentially expose the roots to cold temperatures and precipitation.
Upcycling is a twist on the concept of recycling, which reuses objects and materials and transforms them into new materials or products. Thanks to social media sites such as Pinterest, examples of successful upcycling ideas are easier to access than ever. Items such as old windows, picture frames, and even shower curtains and bubble wrap can be used to protect plants during the winter season or even allow you to keep growing throughout the traditional dormant season by creating a literal micro-climate on your patio or deck. Certain hardy vegetables such as salad greens, peas, and root vegetables actually can thrive during the cold-weather months as long as they are protected.
Heeling refers to a method of plant protection for container gardens, which involves grouping the containers as closely together as possible, then covering the containers with soil and mulch. This is a tried-and-true procedure for many gardening centers and nurseries to protect unsold stock so it can remain available until the subsequent spring. Lighter-weight containers can be moved indoors for the winter. Before doing so, make sure to check the plants and the soil for insects, so you avoid bringing unwanted pests into your home.
Mulching services in Kingsport
Preparing your garden and perennial plants for the winter is crucial, and making a mistake could ruin all your hard work and waste your money. Why not let Promier Landscapes handle the job for you? We use professionally distributed mulch and offer mulching services in Kingsport. To learn more about any of the fall lawn care services we offer to prepare your garden for winter, give us a call at (423) 872-2988 to schedule a consultation with one of our professional gardening experts.
Promier Landscapes is proud to serve the gardening and landscaping needs of our clients in the areas of Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol in Tennessee.