Winterizing your garden: Checklist for winterizing

An oasis of calm to enjoy the first rays of sun in spring. A shady spot to escape the heat in summer. A cozy place to enjoy the glowing leaves in autumn. And a refuge to enjoy the silence of the snow in winter. Every season has its own special charm in your garden and gardens have long been much more than just an extention of the living room. Fruits and vegetables are harvested here. Children play here. People laugh and cry here. Particularly, the low temperatures of the cold season put many plants and garden accessoires to the test. In order for them to withstand the cold weather, you should take a few measures in autumn. In the following we'll tell you the 10 most important things you can do to make your garden winter-proof.

Winterizing the garden: the most important steps

When the temperaturesdrop, the days get shorter again and the vegetation shifts down a gear, it's time to do the last work in the garden before winter comes. Our checklist will help you to winterize your garden.

Removing leaves: In autumn you should always have a rake ready to be able to remove fallen leaves from the lawn immediately. Otherwise, the grass underneath may not get enpough light. The result: it dies, causing brown spots to form. Even mushrooms have easy play in a moist enviroment. Also, clean all of the sidewalks. So you don't slip on the leaves in cold, wet weather. Leaves must also be removed from gutters to prevent clogging. If you own fruit trees, you should also remove rotten or fugus-invested fruits that are still on the branches in late autumn. This will prevent fungi from overwintering on the trees and from attacking healthy leaves and fruits in spring.

Mowing the lawn: When winter is just around the corner, th elawn mower will be used for the last time. Make sure that you don't trim the grass to short so that it can still get enough light. You can also cut of lawn edges again.

Protect plants: Frost-sensitive plants require special care in autumn. They need a warm blanket to get trough the winter. To do this, you can cover them with leaves and protect them from the first storm with fir branches or use a garden fleece. Potted plants that are used to Mediterranean or even tropical climates, on the other hand, can't tolerate frost at all. Winterize them in the garage or at least place them in a sheltered place directly on the house wall. A styrofoam plate under the pot protects against the cold from below. You wrap the crowns with fleece, the trunks with brushwood or leaves. Last put not least, you can wrap the pots with bubble wrap and wrap them with a linen or jute fabric or a coconut mat. Also take a look at all the perennials, hedges and trees: Cut back diseased shoots so that they don't spread any further. If you have planted new trees, you do them good with a lime coating. The white color prevents tension cracks in the bark and at the same time protects against pathogenes. Especially short-lived perennials should also be cut back after the flowering period so that htey can develop new shoots and flowers again after winter. Also cut back withered and dead plants in your vegetable patch or flower bed. By the way: Any materials that has been cut can be recycled straight away. simply turn it into wood chips with a chopper. You can put this mulch on your beds. It protects them and improves the quality of the soil.

Winterize hammocks: Don't forget to keep your hammock or hammock chair safe. You shouldn't leave cotton hammocks outside overnight anyway. Polyester variations have a higher lightfastness than natural fibers and are more weather-resistant, but you should still protect them from frost and snow. Their biggest enemies, however, are mice. So that they don't nibble on your beloved everyday companion, we recommend that you store hammocks in a plasitc box.

Storing garden furniture. The most of the garden furnitures are already winter-proof these days - you can also leave it outside during the cold season. Nevertheless, if you have enough space, store it in a safe, dry place. This way you avoid the risk of frosty days or intense UV radiation and extend their lifespan. If you don't have enough space in the house, you can get protective covers. Make sure that you don't close the furniture completely airtight, but that the air can circulate to prevent mold.

Cleaning garden tools: Wether rakes, spades, shovels, scissors or hoes - you should clean all of these garden tools thoroughlty before their winter break. Clean them of debris and rub metal sheets with oil. Linseed oil, for example, is very suitable for this. Then store them in a dry place.

Emptying the rain barrel: Winterizing your garden also includes emtying the rain barrel and all watering cans that are outside. If you want to overwinter these outside, put them upside down so that no new water can enter that could freeze in them. However, it would be better to store them inside. 

Winterizing the outside tap: Any remaining water in the pipes of the outside tap can freeze quickly in winter, which means that pipes and taps no longer seal properly. Therefore, block the line to the outside water tap from the inside, open the tap and remove all other elements such as hoses. This way, water that is still in the pipes can expand to the side when it freezes and does not destroy any components. Another option are frost-proof outdoor water taps. You should also empty garden hoses completely, roll them up and keep them safe so that the water does not break the material faster.

Get grit: In autumn, gett the grit you need for paths, driveways and parking spaces. Grit is best suited for this, because it is not as harmful to fauna and flora as road salt. However, you have to sweep up grit in the spring. Another option is sand. You can simply put this on lawns or beds after winter. However, it is not that slip-proof.

Plant early bloomers: On frost-free days you can also plant crocus, tulip, daffodil or spring flower tubers. Because: next spring is sure to come!