PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
WWW.TROUTBROOKTREE.COM (860) 888-8472
Tree Care December 2020
69 TALCOTT RD. WEST HARTFORD, CT 06110
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
1
Holiday Wishes From the Crew at Trout Brook Landscaping
2
3 New Board Games to Try This Winter
What Species Is My Christmas Tree?
3
A Brief History of Holiday String Lights
Festive Apple Cider
4
5 Ways to Winterize Your Garden
5 WAYS TO WINTERIZE YOUR GARDEN
If you want your garden to thrive when spring comes, then taking proper care of it through winter is essential. Here are five ways you can adequately prepare your garden to survive the chilly season and put yourself ahead of the game come spring. 1. CLEAN UP ROT. Old plants can harbor disease, pests, and fungus. Insects feeding on your plants during summer and fall may leave eggs behind, so removing spent plants from the soil prevents those pests from getting a head start in spring. You can also bury old plants in your garden to reintegrate organic matter and improve soil health. 2. PREPARE YOUR SOIL. Many people reserve this for spring, but winter is a great time to use soil amendments like manure or compost. Adding these nutrients now means they have time to start breaking down and enriching your soil. You also won’t have to wait until your garden dries out in spring to get this step done. Just remember to cover the bed with plastic to prevent winter weather from washing your work away. 3. PLANT COVER CROPS. Sowing cover crops like rye, vetch, legumes, or clover is a great way to help
prevent soil erosion, break up compacted areas, and increase organic matter. Try to plant your cover crops about one month before the first killing frost. 4. DIVIDE AND PLANT BULBS. At this time of year, spring bulbs have long since died, but other flowering bulbs, like lilies, may have recently bloomed. About three weeks after they’ve displayed, dig them up and plant the ones that were crowded during the growing season away from other plants. Dig 4–8 inches away from the plant’s growing stalk, lift it out gently, and immediately transplant it elsewhere. 5. HARVEST YOUR COMPOST. Material composted over the summer is likely finished and ready to use. Top your garden beds, amend deficient soils, or fertilize your lawn and landscaping with it to jump- start growth for spring. As the weather gets colder, it’s tempting to adopt a hibernation mentality and avoid getting outdoors to take care of your garden. But if you don’t want to be back at square one when winter thaws and spring arrives, put the work in now. You and your crops will be thankful later.
4 | (860) 888-8472
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter