Gardening can be a four-season labor of love. Here's a look at some winter tasks and projects

[December 11, 2024]  By JESSICA DAMIANO

I see you, sitting there by the fire with your cup of hot cocoa (or wine). Don’t get too comfortable.

You might think you can rest on your laurels now that there’s a break in the mowing, weeding, sowing and planting action. But fall and winter are the best times to tend to your garden’s maintenance and prepare for the next growing season.

Outdoor care
For instance, have you planted your bulbs yet? It’s not too late if the soil in your garden isn’t frozen. As long as the ground is soft enough to dig, you can continue to plant tulips, daffodils and other bulbs. Be sure to cover them with a 3-inch layer of mulch, leaves or seed-free straw to prevent the heaving that often accompanies winter’s freeze-thaw cycles.

If the garden is frozen, avoid walking on the lawn, which would damage grass blades (and possibly soil structure).

Even in temperate zones, delicate garden plants like citrus trees, dahlias and spring-blooming plants often need protection over winter. Keep them warm with a loosely wrapped and secured burlap jacket.

Knock snow off evergreen branches to prevent bending, buckling and splitting. Arborvitaes and Leyland cypresses are especially susceptible.

Now is a great time to document what worked well in your garden this past season and what didn’t, and note which plants you’d like to move in spring. I can almost guarantee you’ll forget at least some of your intentions if you don’t write them down.

Go a step further and take photos of the plants you’d like to relocate so you’ll remember where they are; it can be challenging to identify them when they first come up in spring, which is when you should dig up early bloomers.

If you have extra seeds, consider trading them with some gardening friends or seeking out a seed swap, many of which are held at libraries or organized by garden clubs. Store seeds in paper envelopes or glass jars in a cool, dark spot away from fruit. Label them even if you’re confident you’ll remember what they are. You won’t.

If pests or diseases ravaged your plants during the growing season, read up on the companion plants you can use to thwart them next year.

This undated image provided by Lena Monaco shows several birds visiting suet and seed feeders in her Garden City, New York, garden. Homeowners in cold climates are encouraged to provide such food, as well as water, to help sustain birds over winter, when flower seeds, fruits, nuts and nectar are typically unavailable. (Lena Monaco via AP)

Indoor care
Place houseplants near a west- or south-facing window to maximize sunlight, and give pots a quarter turn with each watering to expose all sides. While you’re at it, check them for mealybugs, spider mites and scale insects. If you find any, rinse them off in the sink.

If you’re buying poinsettias, check them carefully for whiteflies before bringing them home to avoid an infestation.

It may be too late to start Amaryllis bulbs indoors for holiday blooms, but if you pot them up now, you’ll get to enjoy them during the winter doldrums. Plant them with their pointed ends half-sticking out of the soil, and water thoroughly once. Then keep the soil consistently slightly moist. Place them in a warm, sunny spot and increase watering when bulbs sprout.

When Amaryllis plants bloom, move them to a cooler room to extend flower life, but keep them away from children and pets; like many houseplants, they’re toxic if ingested.

Remember the birds
In the absence of garden seeds, fruits, nuts and nectar, non-migratory birds depend on us over winter. Set out a feeder and keep it filled with high-quality birdseed. And remember to provide water in the absence of snow or rain.

The birds will repay you by feeding thousands of your garden’s plant-munching insects to their young in spring.

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