Tips for Maintaining Flower Gardens in Fall and Winter
Whether you live in the Midwest or other colder states, maintaining your flower gardens during the fall and winter seasons is essential for their health and beauty come spring. This article provides practical advice on mulching, managing weeds, and using fallen leaves to improve soil nutrient levels and protect plants.
Mulching for Winter Protection
For colder winter regions: Mulching your flower beds in late fall is crucial to ensure that your plants do not freeze out over the winter. Applying a thick layer of organic mulch, such as straw, leaves, or bark, serves as an insulating blanket, protecting roots from extreme cold and fluctuating temperatures. This layer also helps to retain moisture and prevent soil erosion.
Managing Dead Annuals and Weeds
In my gardens, I leave the dead summer annuals standing so that birds can pluck the seeds. After a week or two, I cut them at soil level, leaving the roots to decompose. Cutting them at soil level allows for the roots to continue providing nutrients to the soil as they decompose. Additionally, the tops can be used to create brush piles or discarded in the woods to break down naturally. This method also helps to enrich the garden with organic matter.
It is imperative to keep winter annual weeds from setting seeds, as they create 100 times the problems you will face in the current year. In my zone 7, common winter weeds include winter and hairy cresses, henbit, and chickweed. These plants can quickly spread and produce thousands of seeds if not removed on time. Remove these weeds or mulch them heavily to reduce their seed production.
Using Fallen Leaves to Improve Soil
Falling leaves are a valuable resource for improving your garden soil. I dig fallen oak leaves into the soil to enhance its tilth and nutrient levels. When the soil is not too cold, the microbes and earthworms work on breaking down the leaves. By the spring or early summer, the leaves will be mostly decomposed, or they will have been eaten by the worms. Adding large quantities of this material can transform heavy red clay into decent soil in a single growing season. I replenish the organic matter and expand the gardens each year.
For many years, I have grown plants to sell at farmers’ markets, and I also plant lots of them in my yard. A few weeks ago, I planted part of the cottage garden with 'Frizzle Sizzle' pansies. When it warms up a bit, the perennials will emerge and complement the pansies. In my climate, Violas—smaller cousins of the pansies—tolerate colder temperatures and can still take freezing temps. In this winter, the lowest recorded temperatures were a couple of nights around 12F. Ornamental cabbages, kale, and mustard greens add a pop of color through the winter, so the beds do not need to be kept bare.
Protecting Perennial Gardens
Perennial gardens should also be mulched and thoroughly weeded. I let leaves collect around the stems of perennials to protect them from the cold and wind. Some perennials are borderline hardy in this climate, but with the extra insulation from fallen leaves, they will be fine. Photos below show the stunning 'Redbor' kale and the elegant Juncus 'Blue Dart'.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your flower gardens thrive even in the coldest winter months. Embrace the natural resources available to you, and your garden will be a haven for wildlife and beauty as spring approaches.