|
 ello fellow Earthlings. Winter is coming,
my friends, and this is the time to get
the garden ready for the chilly times ahead. We will be touch
on some of the techniques for putting the garden to bed for the
winter. So put on your coat and gloves and let's take a walk
in the garden.
 At this
time of year we can feel the chill in the air and so can our
plants. Many of our perennial plants require some sort of protection
from this chill, as well as from the bitter cold in coming months.
Plants slow down their metabolic rates in the cooler weather,
similar to the hibernation that certain animals exhibit during
cold weather. So, it is good to figure out ways to make hibernation
dens for your plants when cold weather sets in. This process
is known by many terms, but the most common term for winter plant
protection is mulching. Mulching can be accomplished with a number
of protective materials including newspaper, fallen leaves, pine
straw, hay, coarse compost or plastic sheeting. There are also
several pre-made products out on the market that are fitted to
certain types of plants.
In warmer
climates where frosts are infrequent, plants don't normally require
the extensive insulating that they do in colder northern climates.
Where winters are mild, a simple refreshing of the existing compost/
mulch layer is usually sufficient to insulate from periodic frosts
and drying winds. I suggest putting down a dose of gypsum in
alkaline soils or some lime in more acidic soils under the new
mulch layer. These minerals will be assimilated into the soil
so that in the spring these minerals are immediately available.
I really like a new mineral material called Kelzyme. Kelzyme
is a fossilized kelp/marine algae mineral that provides an abundance
of calcium and over 50 other minerals to the soil and your plants.
Kelzyme is not widely found in stores but can be ordered from
Organic Resources Company at (760) 634-1066 (ask for Doug Gore).
I have used this supplement for my soil three years in a row
and have been very pleased with the results.
In colder
climates, plants and soils require a heavier class of insulation.
This is where such useful materials as pine needles (pine straw)
and hay come in handy. One of my favorite materials for cold
protection is alfalfa hay. Alfalfa contains an abundance of trace
minerals and the plant growth hormone "Triconatol"
that is a good promoter of plant vigor. One of the best things
about using a thick layer of any of these materials is that as
they slowly decompose, they emit heat. This is very helpful where
winters are severe.
My favorite
way to protect roses and other somewhat frost sensitive perennials
is to mound hay over the lightly pruned plants in a small haystack
form while the weather is still rather mild. As the haystack
settles, I add some hay to the settled areas to ensure complete
insulation of the plant. As cold weather sets in, the haystacks
are completely settled and will not be affected by high winds.
The plants should have at least a foot of hay insulation between
them and the elements. Once spring weather begins to warm up
and the threat of hard frost is past, pull the hay off of the
plants and do your fine pruning. By avoiding severe pruning before
spring, you allow more small-diameter plant tissue to protect
the larger stems. If you severely prune your plants before piling
hay over them for the winter and your insulation fails, there
is nothing between the elements and critically important parts
of the plant. Smaller diameter stems will freeze and die sooner
and form protective scars for the larger plant parts if they
are exposed to extreme cold. By using this technique of plant
protection during the winter, you can be assured that your precious
plants will be there for you when warm weather returns.
We will be
discussing seed catalogs and starting seeds indoors next time
for getting a head start on spring. Stay warm and I'll see you
in the Garden!. 
|
mill.net. Look for Don's book Natural Gardening A-Z from
Hay House.