Winter Preparation
For lot of us this is time of the
year to put the garden to bed. That should include cutting
back perennials, pruning some shrubs, fertilising, adding
organic matter and improving soil texture, mulching some tender
plants and raking leaves.
All perennials should be cut back
after they flower to prevent them from going to seed. Doing
that helps them to keep nice foliage through the rest of the
season and sometimes perennials bloom a second time. On the
other hand, some perennials have attractive seed pods, and
you might choose to keep them on for decorative purposes;
also if you wish to collect seeds, you might want to let your
plants go to seed.
Before winter is a good time to
cut back the rest of the stems, but leave the crown of the
perennials covered with foliage and possibly mulch them if
the plant is tender to your climate zone.
Cultivating the soil should take
place through the whole growing season because of its beneficial
effect on the health of the plants, the soil pH, and water
consumption. This time of the year is a good idea to do a
final cultivating and work in organic fertiliser and organic
matter to upgrade your soil. If your soil tends to be acidic,
add some lime dolomite to correct the pH of the soil.
A mixture that we recommend
is:
Mix in one wheelbarrow:
10 – 15 cups Gaia
Green Fertiliser All Purpose 4-4-4
5-15 cups dolomite lime depending on soil acidity
2 bags steer manure or an equal amount of compost
Same amount peat moss
If your soil is too clayey, you can add some sand as well.
Spread with a shovel in a ½ inch layer around all your plants.
Well-balanced soil
that contains lots of organic matter will keep plants healthy
and growing well.
If you add organic matter to your soil every fall and spring,
you will see improvement with every growing season.
Viktorie
Hladik
Horticulturist
Landscape Designer
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