Getting your garden ready for winter?

[neetanddave]

What do you do where you live?

I use the fallen leaves to cover my perennial beds. I just rake them into the beds about a foot deep, covering everything loosely. They decompose nicely over the winter, and make a good starter mulch in the spring.

I also take in all my ornaments and clean them good before storing them for the winter. I do repairs as necessary, like repainting some of my wooden birds that I hang in the trees. I also take down the garden torches and the windchimes.

[maggiesgranny]

ummmm I watch Brian run the tiller through it! hahahahah:flail:

[LokisMum]

I take in all my ornaments, including garden kitties and garden fairies - no gnomes - the garden lights that I don't want to leave out in the winter, stepping stones, etc, cut back the perennials, and cover the beds with mulch. Have to wait till the ground freezes for the mulch - otherwise you get little mousies making homes for winter under it!

[neetanddave]

:lol2: :lol2: maggiesgranny, why does that NOT surprise me????

[snosrap5]

We normally wait till everything dies and trim it back and wait for next year to roll around. I don't trim back the crepe myrtles until spring.

[Karen]

I've been doing a lot of this in the past week! I trim everything back, dump all the containers of annuals out and bring in the deck furniture, torches, plant stands,etc.

[Sar]

:lol2: You guys get busy round this time of year, don't you? :lol2:

I usually just take out my annuals, collect seeds, do a little required pruning and dead wooding then rake the beds over with any remaining compost! I would normally go around and add my winter annuals, pansies and Cyclamen so I can have some colour through the colder months! Last year I also got my spring bulbs planted! :)

This year though, I will empty out my old herbs so I can start fresh next year - and have less filled pots to move with! Other than that, there isn't too much that I will be doing as this will no longer be my garden - ask me next year and it'll be a whole different story!

I didn't know I was supposed to bring my garden ornaments in! Maybe that's why Rolly Bunny's head is flaking?! :lol2:

[LokisMum]

That could explain it! Quite often the winter weather is too severe and really wears on some of the garden ornaments. They'll last much longer if you take them in in the fall and then put them out again in the spring. Some of the resin ornaments can't be left out in the winter or you'll have nothing left come spring.

[Sar]

That could explain it! Quite often the winter weather is too severe and really wears on some of the garden ornaments. They'll last much longer if you take them in in the fall and then put them out again in the spring. Some of the resin ornaments can't be left out in the winter or you'll have nothing left come spring.

I'll definitely be packing them up and bringing them in this winter then! Poor things - I've been so cruel to them!

Well, today I wrapped up all warm and managed to get my annuals out - the compost bin is now full to the brim! The beds look so bare, but I did see the starts of some of my bulbs coming up so there should be a nice show for Spring! Just a shame I won't be here to see it! :(

[neetanddave]

Hey, just dig those bulbs up! Replant them in some old pots you have from the annuals, they'll continue to grow until you move them.

You can even keep them in the pots until next year, take them indoors to bloom over the winter. It's called forcing, but in this case you are just letting it happen naturally.

[neetanddave]

And I actually do minor repairs on my ornaments during the winter. Touch up paint, remove any rust stains and spray on clear enamel to protect them next year, etc.

[Sar]

Hey, just dig those bulbs up! Replant them in some old pots you have from the annuals, they'll continue to grow until you move them.

You can even keep them in the pots until next year, take them indoors to bloom over the winter. It's called forcing, but in this case you are just letting it happen naturally.

I would do, but the bulbs here are so cheap anyway that I'll spread some joy for the LL's daughter - give her something to live up to! ;) I do already have about ten pots or so with some daffs in them anyway, so I should have enough colour to bide me by!

[neetanddave]

I guess you being closer to Holland the bulbs are cheaper, and probably better. :(

[Sar]

I guess you being closer to Holland the bulbs are cheaper, and probably better. :(

Yeah, we have the Continental Market in town at the moment and you should see the bulbs!! (I will try to take a picture) I have been wishing that I could send you all a bulb or two with the card exchange, but they would stand out so much! :(

[neetanddave]

:lol2: Yeah, the noisy seeds mught make it past Customs, but I bet that lumpy envelope would get their attention!

[Sar]

Unless It was passed through by a someone with terrible eye sight! ;) :lol2: