At first glance, landscapes might appear stagnant in the winter. But there’s a lot going on in our gardens—we just can’t see it.
During the winter, herbaceous perennials and woody shrubs and trees take action underground by growing their roots. That means winter is a vital season for plant health.
To support native plants through the cold months, follow the winterization checklist below.
If you don’t have time to do this work (or you’d rather do something else!), check out our Organic Land Care services. Our expert Earth Stewards can help tend your winter landscape so your gardens return healthy and vibrant in the spring.
Native Garden Winterization: A Checklist for Putting Native Landscapes to Bed
Photo Credit: D. Coble, Bureau of Land Management
Start these tasks any time after the first hard freeze in late fall:
Remove weeds.
Pulling weeds now will lessen the weed pressure that your native plants have to compete with in the spring. Wait for a warmer day when the soil is soft and you have a better chance of removing weeds’ root systems. Or water the garden a few hours before you plan to weed so the soil softens.
Mulch around perennials.
A light layer of organic mulch helps insulate soil and maintain soil moisture, protecting plants’ roots from freezing temps. Shredded fallen leaves, untreated grass clippings, pine straw, and compost are all great options. Just be sure to leave some room around the base of each plant to avoid smothering them.
Cut back dead foliage.
Go ahead and cut back dead leaves and stems in the perennial garden—but use a light hand.
The hollow stems on some herbaceous perennials provide winter habitat for native bees. If possible, leave approximately 8 to 12 inches of hollow stems to help pollinators survive the cold.
The dried flowers and seedheads of many native plants—including coreopsis, echinacea, and rudbeckia—offer winter food for birds. If possible, leave dried flowers and seedheads intact until spring. Preserving these elements also provides winter interest in the garden.
When it comes to “woodies” (trees and shrubs), go ahead and remove dead, damaged, or diseased material in late fall or early winter. Save more aggressive pruning for when woodies are fully dormant.
Photo Credit: F.D. Richards
Remove invasive honeysuckle.
Winter is a great time to remove bush honeysuckle (a tenacious invasive plant), because the plant goes dormant in the winter. This means you can cut back honeysuckle and it won’t immediately regrow, which weakens the plant.
If you need help with this pesky invasive, check out our Honeysuckle Removal Packages. Our experienced team uses a combination of mechanical methods and all-organic herbicides to get rid of bush honeysuckle safely and effectively.
Water as needed.
Plants need water throughout the year, not just during hot summer days. While plants’ branches and trunks might be dormant, their roots are still growing.
If your area isn’t getting much precipitation, offer supplemental watering every week or so during the transition from fall to winter. Check the soil around freshly installed plants when the temperature goes above 40° Fahrenheit and there’s no snow covering the ground. If the soil is moist a few inches deep around the plant, then you do not need to water. But if it’s dry, some watering is in order.
Prep new garden beds.
If you’re planning to start a new garden next year, sheet mulching now will gradually smother grass so the bed is plantable in the spring. Keep an eye on our blog for an upcoming guide to sheet mulching.
Photo Credit: Pleuntje
Clean up tools.
Depending on the garden tools in your arsenal, this might entail:
Cleaning and disinfecting garden tools such as hand pruners, loppers, hori-horis, trowels, and so on
Cleaning garden stakes and ornaments and storing them out of the elements
Emptying soil from unused containers and storing them upside down so they don’t fill with water or snow (which can cause them to freeze and crack)