When preparing for the cold season, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Not all plants are suitable for our winter climate and even robust plants such as grass, shrubs and trees need some care.
1. Pruning trees & shrubs
You can remove dead or diseased branches from woody plants before winter. In general, all plants in the garden should not be pruned when it is frosty, but only when autumn temperatures are mild. The cold could otherwise damage them. In autumn, trees are in a dormant phase, they no longer have leaves and have not yet sprouted – the perfect time for a maintenance pruning.
2. Mow the lawn again before the frost & rake up the leaves
Even if you have to rake the leaves on your lawn every few days in autumn, a lawn without leaves is extremely important. If the leaves remain, they shade the lawn underneath. This can cause it to die and moss to spread. In addition, the moist environment under the leaves favours the spread of fungi and other pathogens. However, this only applies to the lawn – in the bed a layer of leaves is actually useful.
3. Plants in the bed
Let’s get back to the foliage, which, in contrast to the lawn, can be left in the beds! In autumn, it is best to cover the garden beds with leaves or a garden fleece to protect the plants from the cold. This creates an insulating layer of air that protects the plants from the winter cold. To prevent everything from flying away in stormy autumn winds, you can also cover the small piles of leaves with fir branches.
4. Winter-hardy perennials
Perennials do not necessarily have to be cut back in autumn, otherwise the beds will look empty and sad in winter. Exceptions are overgrown or rotting perennials, where pruning can do no harm. Most perennials grow perennially and are hardy. The roots generally survive the winter, only the upper parts of the plant die back to come back in spring. Perennials therefore do not usually need extra protection in winter.
5. Protect potted plants from frost
Since the natural insulation of plants (root system, soil) in planters is limited, you should wrap the planters with bubble wrap, jute felt, coconut matting or a similar good insulating material. This way you can provide some assistance with heat insulation.
Large, hardy tub plants should also be secured against frost from October and November. A common method is to wrap the planter with bubble wrap. For a nicer look, you can cover the bubble wrap with a jute bag or jute strips. We recommend placing the pot with dry straw or leaves in a sturdy transport box (robert). If you use the practical “rolf” transport roller underneath, you can easily roll the heavy pot plant to a dry place near the house wall. If you like, you can decorate the box with a jute bag or a bow. Be sure to water your plants regularly in winter too!
6. Last but not least: tidy up the garden shed
Tidying up the tool shed concludes your gardening work. The garden tools should be cleared of soil and cuttings, then greased with a biodegradable oil and lined up neatly. Open fertiliser packaging and opened seed bags should now be stored in airtight storage boxes (emil transparent) so that the increased humidity of the cold months does not decompose the contents. Which plants need special winter protection?
There are plants that can remain in the garden during frosty temperatures, they are winter-hardy. Non-winter-hardy plants, such as geraniums or hibiscus, should be brought into the winter quarters before the frost starts. For most plants, this is ideally indoors in a cool, dark place, such as the cellar. Plants that need a lot of sunlight are best placed by the window.
- All shrubs in containers need protection. These include cherry laurel, bamboo, roses, holly and all conifers.
- Garden plants that originate from warmer regions and are only winter-hardy to a limited extent. These include, for example, medlar, camellia and Mediterranean snowball.
- Rose stems and freshly planted roses.
Get through the winter well and keep gardening!
