A Step by Step Guide on How To Winterizing Perennials
Closer to the end of autumn it is time to think about winterizing perennials in order to help them overcome the challenging weather of winter months.
Keep reading to find out the ways to preparing perennials for winter and to have them revived and healthy in spring.
A step by step guide
First of all, it is essential to decrease watering – do it slowly, every time reducing the amount of water. Lower level of moist in the soil will help your perennials to harden, so they will be ready to the changes of weather conditions. It will increase their endurance and cold resistance.
Still, the bulbs of some perennials will not be able to survive the frosts and snow of winter if you leave them in the ground. That is why you should wait until the first frost and dig up the bulbs of gladiolus, dahlias and other delicate plants. Store them till spring in a place where they would not be affected by moisture and heat.
If your perennial plant finished flowering, cut their stems leaving only around seven inches from the base. Do not worry, they will grow back when the time is right. The trimmed stems can be dug in the soil in order to enrich it with organic matter, but make sure they are not affected by any disease.
Speaking about enriching the soil, you should feed your plants for the long period of colds: put a layer of compost around every plant. The layer should be around 5 inches thick.
The diseased perennials should be removed from your garden: dig them out and throw out. One more important thing to remember: avoid putting compost around the plants affected by diseases, otherwise the compost can spread the infection to the rest of the plant all over the garden.
Do not forget about such crucial thing as mulching: it is an essential part of winterizing perennials. It is necessary regardless your decision to keep the dead foliage in your garden or to remove it. In order to insulate the flowerbeds, remove the old mulch and put some fresh hay or straw around your plants. It will help them to survive no matter how much snow is going to fall during the winter season.
After you trimmed the plants, stop watering them. After the first frost you should stop watering all the perennials in your garden. Avoid fertilizing your plants in the second part of summer and all through autumn: it will slow down the growth and help them adjust to severer conditions.
Sometimes newly planted trees and shrubs need some extra protection for a couple of winter seasons until they establish properly.
Any plant that seems to be too susceptible to snow and cold of winter should be hidden under a seasonal shelter. Anything will do: plastic pots, thick paper bags, straw and shredded leaves.
Of course, if you care for the aesthetic look of your garden, it would be better to make some shelters with more appealing look. But if you are in a hurry to save your plants, you can use everything more or less suitable for this purpose.
Follow the basic rules of winterizing perennials, treat your plants with affection and patience, take care of them, and enjoy their bloom as they thrive in spring again.
First of all, it is essential to decrease watering – do it slowly, every time reducing the amount of water. Lower level of moist in the soil will help your perennials to harden, so they will be ready to the changes of weather conditions. It will increase their endurance and cold resistance. 
