Guide: Getting your Garden Ready for Winter

As winter is coming, it's time to prepare your garden for frost and snow. Taking good care of your garden during this transitional period is essential to ensure its health and beauty in spring.

Follow these 8 valuable tips to help protect your garden during the harsh Quebec winter months.

1. Clean and Declutter

Before the first frost sets in, plan a thorough clean-up of your garden! Make sure you remove all debris and dead leaves. A clean garden minimizes the risk of disease and pests during winter. 

Remove all wilted annuals, dead plant residues and uproot all weeds to prevent them from reseeding and spreading in the spring.

2. Mulching Magic

Mulching is an essential technique for maintaining your garden. Apply a layer of organic mulch (shredded leaves, wood chips, etc.) around the base of perennials and shrubs to insulate the soil. This will protect roots from freezing and heaving caused by freeze-thaw cycles. 

Mulching also helps retain moisture and discourage weed growth, making it an indispensable practice!

Give your Garden a Unique Look

Have you heard of recycled glass mulch? This attractive ground cover prevents weeds from proliferating and keeps crawling insects and molluscs away from plants.

3. Assess your Plants Health

Assess the health of your plants before winter arrives. Remove any diseased or weak plants to prevent the spread of disease. 

Prune excessively long branches to improve air circulation and reduce the risk of damage from snow and ice.

4. Keep Plants Well Hydrated

Good watering is an essential part of winter preparation. Carefully hydrate your garden before the ground freezes, to help plants withstand periods of winter drought.

Avoid watering in the evening when the weather begins to cool! This could lead to excess humidity, which could cause frost and root damage.

5. Protecting Potted Plants

Potted plants are more vulnerable to winter stress. Bring delicate potted plants indoors, or place them in a sheltered spot such as a garage or greenhouse. Raise pots off the ground to prevent them from freezing on cold surfaces, and consider wrapping them for extra protection.

6. Cover Vulnerable Plants

Young or fragile plants need extra protection during winter. Build simple structures around these plants and cover them with burlap, old blankets or frosted rags. This protective barrier will shield your plants from strong winds, frost and snow.

7. The Importance of Compost

If you're making compost, keep adding kitchen scraps and organic waste throughoutwinter. Although decomposition will slow down, the result will still be nutrient-rich compost to feed your garden come spring!

8. Maintain Gardening Tools

When preparing your garden for winter, don't forget your tools! Clean, sharpen and lubricate all your garden tools, such as pruners, shears and shovels. 

Store under cover in a dry place throughout the winter to prevent rust and damage.

For a Healthy Garden, Trust Groupe Bellemare Products

We produce the best quality soil, stone, sand and mulch on the market. All these products are available from our many retailers in a variety of formats: 

• Recycled glass mulch to give your garden a unique look
• Natural stone to decorate your garden and flowerbeds
• Sieved sand for garden beds
• Sieved topsoil for the garden

Your garden is now ready for winter!

By following these tips, you can preserve the health and beauty of your garden during the coldest months of the year.