How to Care for Your Garden in the Winter

Dec 18th 2017

While most of the country turns to planting and refreshing gardens in the spring and beginning of summer, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done well in the winter in Florida. Especially in regions with mild winters, gardening during the winter can be a recreational activity with benefits such as fewer pests, lower humidity and enjoyable temperatures. Nonetheless, for optimal health of your yard, you may have to modify your gardening routine to accommodate for the changes in weather and provide a smooth transition for your plants. Keep your plants alive year round with these Gainesville lawn care guidelines for the winter.

What to Do With Your Plants In Winter

If you built your garden slowly, making additions every few months, you may have seasonal plants or a wide variety of species in your yard. Like people, some plants deal better with colder temperatures than others. Some are winter-hardy and should stay healthy if you leave them outside with proper care, while others will be better off covered or relocated inside your home until temperatures rise again in the spring.

Bring Some Plants & Flowers Inside

Many garden plants are perennials that can struggle when outside temperatures reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Some examples of outdoor plants that can thrive indoors during the winter are geraniums, begonias, caladium, abutilon, fuchsia, coleus and tropical hibiscus. Weeks when afternoons are warm but temperatures drop at night are a good time to begin acclimating plants to make their outdoor-to-indoor transition less harsh. You can start by bringing them inside at night and putting them back outside in the morning for the first few days, increasing the number of hours spent inside for a couple of weeks until the plants get accustomed to being indoors full time. Before you bring plants into your home, prune an equal amount off the foliage and roots and repot them to a container at least two inches larger, if they have grown too large over the summer. Also, check them thoroughly for small insects and remove them to try to prevent unwanted pests from making their way into your home.

Leave the Rest Outside

Some plants that have a good chance of surviving outdoors through the winter are yew, boxwood, cypress topiary, sedum, peony, coneflower and monarda. Other plants or crops may have a harder time adjusting to winter, but because of their size or the way they are rooted, it might be easier to leave them outside with a cover than to bring them inside. If you are worried about frost, you could cover vulnerable or recently planted shrubs and climbers with straw or horticultural fabric. You could also cover crops with row covers or fruits growing on trees with plastic, leaving room for ventilation. However, Gainesville winters are usually mild and do not require plants to be covered. If you are not sure whether you should cover your plants, contact a local landscaping expert.

Timing Is Essential

Some winter Gainesville landscaping guidelines are as simple as tweaking the duration or frequency of plant care activities. Watering, fertilizing, pruning and landscaping should be done in every season, but in slightly different ways.

Watering & Mulching

Although plants generally need less water in colder weather, remember to keep them hydrated and nurtured for a lively a landscape Gainesville residents can admire. Mulch your garden with leaves and compost in the fall to nourish roots, keep your topsoil warm and retain moisture. When winter comes, water outdoor plants after long dry spells of about two weeks or when the soil feels dry. Do it at midday to give them time to absorb the moisture before temperatures drop at night. If you know a frost is coming, water your plants at least 24 hours in advance and avoid getting water on the foliage, stems or trunks to minimize breakage caused from ice sitting on them. Remember that plants indoors will not need as much water as those outdoors. To care for the plants you have brought inside, only water them when the soil is dry to the touch, open the blinds or curtains and keep your windows clean to maximize the amount of sunlight they get.

Pruning & Landscaping

There are several techniques for landscaping Gainesville, FL, residents can apply to prepare for the winter. For example, when trying to store tuberous plants such as dahlias, you may find that their roots have grown in large clumps. If you need to separate them, do it carefully, making sure that each root has at least one bud, or “eye,” where the stem meets the tuberous structure. The dormant winter months are ideal for pruning and trimming both evergreen and deciduous plants. This can also improve the look of your landscape by reducing the appearance of clutter.

Gainesville Lawn Care Services

If you need advice or assistance preparing your garden and plants to thrive during the winter months, contact Evergreen Lawn Care for high-quality lawn service in Gainesville, FL. We can help you with lawn maintenance, mulching, irrigation repairs, debris removal, pressure washing and a variety of other services. Call us today to schedule an appointment!