4 Mulch garden beds
Thank your neighbours for raking and bagging fallen leaves – they're recycling the best protection for your garden beds. A mulch of shredded leaves insulates the roots of perennials, protecting them against the freeze and thaw cycles that cause spring heaving – that' when plants are pushed out of the ground, their roots exposed. Collect the smaller leaves of trees like linden, mountain ash, birch and crab apple. These make the best mulch, allowing water to pass through to the soil surface instead of matting and forming a barrier the way the leaves of Norway and Manitoba maples do. Once the ground has frozen, cover perennial garden beds generously, applying the leaf mulch to a depth of about 10 to 12 centimeters (four to five inches).
5 Water shrubs and trees
One of the best ways to protect your shrubs and trees over the winter is to water them. Timing is important: water shrubs and trees after their leaves drop but before the ground freezes. Water thoroughly and deeply, giving the roots a good drink to help them combat drying winds and sunscald caused on warm, early spring days. In addition to a long drink of water, rhododendrons and other broad-leaved evergreens benefit from an anti-desiccant spray applied when temperatures are cold but not freezing – around 4?C. The spray coats the leaves, locking in moisture throughout the winter.
Satisfied that you've done your best to help your plants survive the winter, relax by a cozy fire with your gardening journal, making notes for next season.
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