Winter Gardening Do’s and Don’ts: Essential Tips and Mistakes to Avoid

Short days and cold weather mean that garden care should be a snap, right? Here are some tips to use the season to your advantage.

From how you fertilize to how you water, plants need different care in winter. Maria Evseyeva/Shutterstock

Winter is as important a garden season as any other, if only because it is an opportunity to reduce pests and weeds and to prepare the soil for a more abundant spring harvest.

Depending on the first frost date, late fall and even early winter (in more southern zones) can also be an opportunity to plant trees and shrubs. But don’t wait too long! If there’s less than six weeks until the first frost, plan on installing them after the last frost of spring.

Give Them a Break

Step away from the fertilizer. Fertilizing late in the season encourages tender new growth that is more susceptible to cold injury and could, in a worst-case scenario, result in the entire plant dying. Even houseplants should be left alone to go dormant and enjoy a much-needed rest. Fertilize both outdoor and indoor plants in the spring as soon as the last frost has passed, and in the summer as they are actively growing.

Put the pruning shears down as well. As with fertilizing, pruning encourages vulnerable new growth. With the exception of damaged or dying tree branches that will present a danger during an ice storm or snowstorm, save all pruning chores until the last spring frost has passed. Then give the plants a good shaping and be sure to remove winter-damaged branches. For next year, plan on giving everything a good trim in late summer to avoid this situation.

Drink Up

Unlike what most newbie gardeners may assume, the need to water plants doesn’t stop in the winter. In fact, proper hydration is particularly critical. Winter winds dry out the soil, and freeze and thaw cycles can also significantly dehydrate the ground.

The first step is to water plants thoroughly and deeply in the weeks leading up to the first frost. But if that wasn’t done, don’t worry. The winter watering guidelines are the same: Water plants whenever the ground is not frozen and the temperatures are above freezing.

Plants installed in the past two years will be most vulnerable. Try for a thorough, deep soak at least once a month. Soil moisture lasts longer in cold weather.

While the hose is out, remember that lawns can use a drink, too. And definitely put the hose back inside so it doesn’t freeze and cover the outdoor faucet with a winter-insulated spigot cover between uses.

Protect the Young

Ever wonder why seasoned gardeners and professional growers wrap the trunks of young trees? It’s because they probably learned the hard way that trees freeze and thaw differently on their sunny and shady sides, which can lead to small cracks and fissures that pests, disease, and fungi will take full advantage of. The wrap also offers additional protection from harsh winter wind until more seasoned bark can take over.

Thorough Cleanup

Weeds may look dried out and lifeless, but they still need to be removed. Remove them carefully to scatter as few seeds as possible. The seeds are designed to survive a harsh winter, which is how they’ve thrived as local weeds. Also, pull out the entire root, particularly if it is a hearty taproot, lest it survive the winter and resprout.

Also thoroughly remove any diseased plants.

Do not put any of the above in the compost pile. Unless one is highly experienced with hot composting, chances are it will not get up to the temperatures needed to kill the seeds, fungi, or mold.

Mulch Benefits and Drawbacks

Mulch is wonderful if it is deployed correctly. It is of particular importance in areas that go through freeze/thaw cycles, which surprisingly can actually do more damage to plants than the zones that get cold and stay cold. A two-to-three-inch layer of natural material (leaves, wood chips, pine needles) is typically recommended. Keep it away from the base of plants so as not to encourage pests and disease.

While all those autumn leaves that have fallen on the ground make it seem like Mother Nature has done the job for us, leaving a thick mat of them in place will smother a garden or lawn and can promote fungal growth. If there are just a few, run the lawn mower over them to chop them up into smaller pieces that will break down faster.

Another option is to put the leaves in a garbage can and shred them with a cordless string trimmer (weed whacker) as an alternative to purchasing a dedicated leaf shredder.

Mulching is helpful to plants during winter but mulching too close to the stem could make the stem rot. Beekeepx/Shutterstock

Grounded Advice

Loosening the soil and aerating it in spring is a good idea, but it also improves drainage for watering in the winter.

Add Amendments

This is the perfect time to use up the last of the compost. Till it into the existing soil so it can break down over winter. Then start a new compost pile with this year’s dried leaves, overripe vegetables, dried (but not diseased) plants, kitchen waste, and more.

Cow Component

Adding manure can be tricky, particularly fresh manure, which can burn plants. First, make sure it comes from a trusted source and contains no herbicides. Adding it in the fall allows any excessively high nutrients to leach away to safe levels by spring.

Innovative Sources

Chicken, rabbit, sheep, goat, and even horse, alpaca, and llama manure are equally great soil amendments to add now. They can often be acquired free or at a low cost from local farmers. Make sure the farmers use only herbicide-free feed for their animals.