MOSAIC Group Guest Blogger: Walt Harrison, Habersham Gardens
Although temperatures have started to drop, we are still having unseasonably warm weather in Atlanta. But make no mistake, cold weather is coming and there’s plenty to do in the garden to prepare. Here are some tips from Habersham Gardens on what, when and how to bed down for the winter.
Mulch – mulch is one of the single most important things you can do to protect your garden, especially if you’ve done any new fall plantings or have plants that are borderline hardy in our growing zone. A fresh layer of mulch is also a fabulous and fast way to spruce up the landscape during the gray days of winter after all the leaves have dropped and been raked.
Water – a common mistake gardeners make is thinking they shouldn’t water during the colder winter months and dehydration is one of the most common causes of plant death. Mulch also comes in handy here as it buffers root systems from the wind’s drying effects, freezing temperatures and helps hold moisture in the soil.
Bulbs – now is the time to get those gorgeous spring blooming bulbs planted. We love to plant bulbs in annual beds – there’s nothing so striking as a stand of tulips or jonquils poking up through a bed of pansies come early spring.
Pruning – certain trees and shrubs should be pruned during the winter For example, February is a good time to prune your crape myrtles back, usually by a third, depending on their age.
Habersham Gardens Landscape Services Company has been beautifying Atlanta gardens for over 30 years. See our website for more information.