As the leaves start to change color and the temperatures begin to drop, preparing your garden beds for the chilly winter months becomes essential.

Winterizing your garden beds is a proactive step toward maintaining a beautiful and healthy garden year-round. That’s why we’ve made this handy checklist on how to prep your home’s landscape for the impending cold.

1. Clear Out Debris

Before the first frost sets in, remove any debris like fallen leaves, weeds, or dead plants. Clearing them out helps prevent potential diseases and pests from lingering through the winter.

2. Trim and Prune

Trim back any overgrown branches or perennials that could potentially get damaged. Pruning helps maintain the shape and health of your plants, ensuring they grow back stronger in the spring.

3. Amend the Soil

Loosen up the soil by gently turning it with a shovel or garden fork to prevent soil compaction over the winter months. Adding in a bit of mulch improves the soil structure and nutrient content, providing a better environment for root growth.

4. Protect Your Plants

Certain plants are more vulnerable to winter conditions than others. Cover up the delicate shrubs or smaller plants with burlap or specialized frost cloths to shield them from frost or freezing temperatures. Mulch around the base of plants to help insulate the roots and preserve moisture.

5. Water Adequately

While plants may not need as much water during winter, a good drink before the frost sets in helps them withstand the harsh conditions.

6. Maintain Your Tools

Winter is an ideal time for tool maintenance. Sharpen the blades, oil the handles, and store your tools to ensure they’re in top condition when you need them in the spring.

7. Plan Ahead

Use the winter downtime to plan and design your garden for the upcoming year. Research new plants or layouts that could enhance your garden’s overall aesthetic.

8. Consult the Landscaping Professionals

Being a professional, full-service Nashville landscape company means we’re also experts at knowing which plants thrive in Nashville’s climate. By using this checklist, your landscaping will not only survive the winter but also thrive when the warmer weather returns, bringing renewed beauty to your outdoor space.

And if you need help maintaining your property’s landscaping, we’d love to hear from you. Click the link below to schedule a free consultation with the Greathouse Company.