5 Winter Gardening Hacks

As the fall season comes to an end, it’s time to prepare your garden for cooler temperatures and winter storms. Here are 5 gardening hacks to get your garden ready for winter.

1. Protect Your Plants

Remove all rotting plants that could be suffering from disease, pests, or fungus. According to the Colorado State University Extension, insects lay eggs on plant stalks and leaves. By pulling or burying dead plants you can prevent insects from getting a jump start on feeding in your garden.

2. Lay Mulch in the Winter

Winter mulching seems odd, but it has many incredible benefits including weed control and moisture protection. Mulching also helps to regulate soil temperatures, which is important in cooler seasons. Ease into winter by protecting your garden from freezing temperatures and harsh weather conditions.

Photo Credit: bymuratdeniz (iStock).

3. Add Compost To Garden Beds

Just because summer is over, doesn’t mean you should forget about your compost. Use existing compost to top off your soil with nutrients. Compost improves soil conditions, which makes a big difference when it comes to a healthy harvest. This winter gardening hack will set you up for growth and success come spring.

4. Give Your Garden an Honest Assessment

Every successful gardener needs to measure their success. Keep a journal and take notes on plants that had good growth vs. under-performing ones. This way when spring comes, you’ll be more prepared. Keep in mind, weather conditions could have played a big part in gardening successes and failures.

Photo Credit: kitzcorner (iStock).

5. Deep Clean Gardening Tools

Now that gardening season has slowed down, it’s the perfect time to clean and sharpen your tools. Clean your tools to remove any dirt that’s built up over the season. Use sandpaper to remove rust stains and sharpen blades using shears, scissors, knives, or pruners. Keep your garden tools in good shape and you’ll be surprised just how long they last.

These 5 gardening hacks will prepare your garden now for beautiful and bountiful results come spring.