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Putting the garden to bed for winter

The days and nights are getting cooler and a thin layer of ice is forming on the top of still water.

The days and nights are getting cooler and a thin layer of ice is forming on the top of still water.

These are all signs that the ground is getting colder and starting to freeze. It is time to put the garden to bed for the winter.

Start by watering evergreens. Place a trickling hose around the drip line of the plants in question. Leave the hose running for over an hour before moving it. Repeat this process at least once a week until the ground freezes.

Giving the plants water now ensures that they are fully hydrated going into winter. As evergreens transpire all year but only take up moisture for part of the year, the more moisture they contain in the fall the less chance of them drying out during the winter or early spring. Wrapping evergreens for the winter or spraying them with a chemical to reduce plant respiration also helps the plant retain moisture during the long winter months. Saturating the ground around any plant will ensure that the ground will stay frozen and the plant dormant even in the warmest chinook.

Nature’s method of protecting plants is to place a blanket of insulating snow on the ground. Six inches (15 cm) will keep the soil and plant roots at a constant temperature regardless of the air temperature. Snow is usually a given in Central Alberta but the arrival time and the depth varies. Often it is best to provide a different form of insulation.

The need for insulation mulch can be determined by the perennials, vines and shrubs planted. Plants that are rated for Zones 1 to 3 usually make it through the winter with little if any help. Plants that are classified as tender to the area benefit with extra or a guaranteed insulating cover.

Gardeners tend to use what is convenient for them. Leaves, peat moss, straw and compost are mulches that are commonly used in Central Alberta. Tender perennials covered with a six-inch (15-cm) layer of mulch will be protected from the extreme cold and varying Alberta winter temperatures.

Fallen leaves are plentiful in older established gardens. They can be raked on a large tarp and spread over appropriate areas. Baled peat moss is readily available from garden centres. Open the compressed bag and spread it where it is needed. Compost can be used similar to peat moss. In the spring both of these products can be spread over the area and worked into the soil.

Try to find clean straw as it will often contain weed seeds. Straw can be used in bale form or broken apart and spread over the appropriate area.

Some gardeners will leave vines up right and cover them with a layer of insulation. Others will drop them to the ground and cover them with a form of mulch. Tender shrubs and roses need to have some or all of their branches insulated. This can be done by placing a container around the plant and filling it with an insulating material. Be sure to jiggle the plant, and outer container enough to ensure that the insulation is spread evenly around all parts of the plant.

When choosing materials to cover plants please keep aesthetics in mind. The covers will be on the plants for over five months and they should not detract from the landscape.

Putting the garden to bed for the winter will ensure that fewer plants are lost to the elements.

Linda Tomlinson is a horticulturalist and educator living in Rocky Mountain House. You can contact her at your_garden@hotmail.com