Having a home garden can be a rewarding hobby, but it also takes a lot of work. Your garden maintenance doesn’t stop once you have done your last harvest. Gardens need to be properly cared for prior to putting your beds to rest for the winter. If you live in an area that has an annual winter season like Leawood, KY you need to prepare your garden beds for the cold weather.
Taking care of your garden in the fall can help your soil to renew itself for the next season and reduce your load of chores in the spring. Letting your garden go to seed after your harvest can mean more work before planting begins again in the spring.
In the same way that you may hire a cleaning company in Leawood to help you clean up after a big party, there are several chores that you should add to your list to maintain your garden after the harvest. Let’s take a look at a few of the essential end of season garden maintenance chores that you should be taking care of before winter.
Cut Back
After your bounty has been removed from all of your plants, it’s time to cut everything back. For perennial vegetables, you only need to prune back to ground level. There is no need to remove the full plant from the ground. Your cuttings can be added as extra nutrients to your compost pile to be used as fertilizer in the spring.
It’s important to take notice of any sickness or diseased plants at this time. Anything that has been infected needs to be removed down to the root so the sickness doesn’t take hold in the soil during the winter.
Add Compost
Fertilizing with compost is a great way to help your soil to nourish itself in the offseason. Compost that has been sitting since the spring is generally in the best condition to spread on your pruned garden beds before the winter.
Cover Crops
A variety of loosely holding grasses and ground cover can help you to rebuild your soil health. It’s a good idea to plant your cover crop at least four weeks before the first frost to ensure that they seed properly. In the spring you can simply turn over the soil and get ready for your regular planting.
Edging
Your garden takes a lot of abuse during the summer and harvest seasons. The fall is a great time to clean up your beds before the frost sets in. Clean up your edging or take care of any garden expansion at this time.
Tool Maintenance
Never put your garden tools away for the season until they have been properly maintained and cleaned. A shed full of dirty tools can cost you time and money in the spring when you will really need them.
Having your own garden has many great advantages including a bounty of fresh vegetables and providing an enjoyable and healthy hobby. Taking care of your garden is a year-long endeavor. Follow these essential end of season garden maintenance tips to help you get the best results every year.
