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.
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.
