Things You Can Do Outside Before Winter Hits
Introduction
So far, the U.S. has enjoyed a mild fall, especially in the Midwest. Prime growing time may have ended, but you can still get your garden ready for spring. Here are some things to do outside before the snow hits:
Plant Spring-Blooming Bulbs
Planting spring-blooming bulbs is a great way to enjoy the outdoors while preparing for the coming spring. Tulips and daffodils are some of the most popular bulbs that can be planted at this time. If you’re interested in planting either of these flowers, many stores will have discounts on their bulb selections as we get closer to this season’s end. Keep reading for another thing you can do outside in the fall.
Buy and Plant Rose Bushes
Planting rose bushes in the fall is a great way to ensure that they’ll survive through winter. If you live in the southern part of the Midwest region, you should be able to plant roses all year long. In fact, even if you live as far north as Zone 2 (which includes parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin), there are still some hearty varieties that will survive—like Morden Blush rose bushes.
If you’re not sure which variety of roses is right for your climate, ask a local gardening expert at your local nursery or greenhouse shop!
Take Care Not to Over Water
You’ve probably heard that plants need water during the winter, but did you know that they don’t need nearly as much? In the summer, plants are actively growing and need lots of water to support that growth. But in wintertime, growth slows down or even stops. So, your plants will only need a little water.
If you want your plant to thrive through the cold months ahead without succumbing to root rot or other problems due to improper watering (like brown leaf tips), follow this tip: Water only when necessary, letting the soil dry out between waterings.
Buy Perennials From Local Greenhouses
Perennials are a great way to get plants into your yard with minimal effort. They come back year after year and don’t need much water or care, so they’re the perfect choice if you have a busy schedule and don’t want to spend much time taking care of your garden.
Local greenhouses are also great places to buy perennials because they usually have end-of-season sales in the fall during which they’ll reduce prices on their remaining stock. And it’s not just about saving money! Supporting local businesses is important for our economy, and many times these businesses are run by people who live in your community. Plus, if you ever need help deciding what plant will work best in your environment or how big it should be when winter hits (or even if you just want some gardening tips), the staff at these local greenhouses can give you all of that information for free!
And, here is the final thing you can do outside before winter…
Clean Up Damaged Plants
Avoid bringing problems into your garden by removing any plants that have any of these issues:
- Spots on foliage
- Damaged branches or leaves
- Disfigured leaf growth
pest infestation - If you see something amiss in your plant (and it’s not the season for pruning), don’t try to nurse it back to health with chemicals or pesticides and then let it live out its days as an ugly reminder of what could happen if you were careless when choosing your plants in the first place. Instead, get rid of it immediately so you won’t risk losing more money down the road because of a bad decision made today!
Conclusion
With these tips, you can ensure that your garden will be in tip-top shape when springtime comes around. You’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful flowers and plants that you have labored over all winter long!
Ready to learn more about gardening? Go to our Resources page for more articles to help you have a happy and healthy grow.