Page 36 - AreaNewsletters "Feb2023" issue

A Gardener’s Work is Never Done
Winter gardening tasks that will help you prepare for spring.
We are halfway through the winter season and you may have been spending your spare time lounging on the couch, ipping through the TV channels. Your spring garden is the last thing on your mind. There
is nothing you can do now anyway, right?
Wrong!
These long, lazy days (and nights!) of winters are the perfect time
to catch up on both inside and outside tasks that you will
help prepare you for the upcoming growing season.
OUTSIDE:
Remove brush and debris in your yard and garden: If weather is mild (and we have had plenty of those days!) and there is little to no snow on the ground, you may be able to remove what dead vegetation is left in your garden if you didn’t get to it in the fall. You can also take out the brush and debris that have accumulated under trees, against fence lines, and near your house’s foundation. Doing so will eliminate any fungus which may be growing or get rid of any pest
insects which may be overwintering
in these piles. (If you had issues with
plant disease last year, just make sure
to toss it out, not compost). It might be
worthwhile to leave at least some of
the standing perennials and leaves,
though, since bene cial insects will also be overwintering here, including predatory beetles and some species of butter y. Many gardeners take a “clean some, leave some” approach, leaving leaves and stems in out of the way places and cleaning them only in high-visibility (out front) or high-disease areas (like veggie gardens).
Winter watering: While the snow has been ying recently, if you’ve been in Colorado for long you know that this is not always the case in December and January! When (not if) a mild dry spell strikes next, supplemental watering is often essential even in winter, particularly for evergreen trees and shrubs.
Aim for a day when no snow is on the ground and the temperatures are above 40 degrees to water. To ensure the ground is not frozen and can accept water, see if you can sink a screwdriver into the
You will be glad you took the time
this winter to prepare for your spring garden.
February 2023 • Castle Rock “AreaNewsletters”
36
H O ME & G A R D E N