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Chores to do in the garden before winter sets in

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 11/10, 2017 at 06:59 AM

Chores to do in the garden before winter sets in

It has definitely become colder. This week has turned out to be pretty wintry, a sign that weekend yard work needs to come to a close for the year very soon. This includes your vegetable garden.

There are certain chores that you need to do before the ground freezes and is covered in snow. These are chores that help ensure a successful 2018 gardening season by preparing the soil and helping to prevent diseases.

First off, be sure you get all dead plant debris out of your garden. Dead plant matter can provide cover for insect pests and harbor fungal disease spores.

Once you clear your garden, you can rake or blow leaves into it. Leaves make a great winter mulch and add nutrients to the soil.

If you left any plant supports outside, bring them in or put them in a shed to keep them out of winter precipitation. It will help them last longer if you give them a break from the elements.

Garlic does well if you cover it with 4-5 inches of mulch like straw, grass clippings or shredded leaves. This helps protect the garlic bulbs if we get subzero temperatures this winter. Be sure to remove it in early March.

And finally, be sure you clean your garden tools to prevent rust. Another trick to fighting rust is lightly coat the blades/tines/spades with vegetable oil.

Tags: gardening | fall | winter |