What You Need To Know About Winterizing Your Garden
Most people worry a lot about getting their garden ready during the spring for the growing season, but many do not know that there is a lot that you can do before winter hits that will help next year. Winterizing a garden is just as important as preparing it during the spring. If you have not winterized your garden before, you should read this article for some great tips.
The first thing that you should focus on for winterization is the removal of excess produce. While having a good amount of produce to mix in the soil is a good idea, you do not want there to be too much. You also want to make sure that the produce that you do use does not have seeds still inside of it. This could lead to the seeds taking root the following year. You can use the excess produce to make your own compost pile, however.
A fresh layer of soil is always a great idea. Once your garden has reached the end of its life for the year you should add a layer of an inch or two of fresh soil. This will add nutrition to your soil that it likely has lost, and it will replace any soil that has eroded during the growing season. Just be sure to use a soil that matches the desired chemical balance for your garden.
Cover your garden before the first freeze if possible. By covering your garden, you are safeguarding it from erosion. During the winter, snow can fall and melt repeatedly, which leads to the water flow removing soil from your garden. To ensure that your fertile soil remains in place during the winter, you can use either a tarp or mulch to seal it off from the elements.
Check and fix your soil's pH before winter comes. It is not uncommon for a garden's soil to become off balance once the plants are done growing. You should always check to make sure that your soil is stable before it becomes covered with snow. This will make it easier for you to have the soil that you want once the next growing season arrives. If you have not altered your soil's pH before, it is very easy to do. You just need to get a testing kit from your local gardening store. You then just test your soil and do a little research to find out how to get it to where you want it to be. If you still have questions after doing a little research, you should be able to find assistance from someone that works at your favorite nursery.
Gardening is a great thing to do as a hobby or just a means of saving money, but doing it right is important. Now that you have read this article, you know how important it is to winterize your garden at the end of the season. All that is left to do is put the information above to use.
