We are blessed in the Georgian Bay to enjoy wonderful fall weather boasting warm days, crisp evenings and beautiful colors of the season wherever we cast our eye. I would challenge that this year our September was drier and sunnier/warmer than our summer months, which was welcomed indeed!!! But, unfortunately, we all know that before long we will be blanketed again in snow. It is now that you must start to prepare for those cold winter months ahead. We need to protect and assure that our lawns and gardens have had that winterizing attention necessary to be guaranteed of that returning beauty for the spring-time season. Here are a few helpful tips that have been shared with us which will help to protect and preserve your lovely plants, lawns and shrubbery.
- The winds off the Georgian Bay are not only bone chilling but can damage evergreens and other plants. Before the ground freezes, it is wise to place some stakes in the ground on the windward side of your plants that you want to protect. At your local hardware store you can pick up both stakes and burlap. Place the stakes in a triangle with the front stake facing the wind. Now wrap the burlap around the stakes; no need to actually wrap the plant. Now water, water WATER! Conifers and broadleaf evergreens and are susceptible to winter burn as they lose moisture through their leaves/needles all year long. For any of your newly planted deciduous trees, use some tree wrap tape around the tender bark or those plastic tree spirals to protect against the winter cold and wind
- Give your garden a good cleaning by cutting back shrubbery and cutting down stalks, weeding, removing dead leaves and branches and dividing the perennials that are now overgrown. Not only will your garden look better, but you are deterring pests from trying to winter in your garden. When dividing plants, the general rule is to divide any of your plants about 6 weeks before the ground freezes to give the roots a chance to heel-in. This is also the time of year to plant your spring bulbs. Don’t forget to pull out any pesky weeds and destroy the plant completely. Even a root or seed can restart that weed-cycle again in the springtime.
- We have made tee-pees from plywood/particle board to cover some of our shrubs that are under the eves and over-hang areas of our home. Some of the smaller/newer plants we cover with burlap (NEVER plastic). This gives protection from the weight of snow as well as the freezing/thawing cycle
- The freezing temperatures will destroy the pumps in your water features so be sure to remove your pumps completely and store in a warm area during the winter. Check your instructions on the plants in your water-features to be sure that they can endure our harsh winter conditions. They may need to be removed for the season
- Top up the mulch in your garden. This is important for all perennials but especially for any new ones that have not had the chance to establish deep root systems. Generous mulching keeps the soil an even temperature. Again, you are trying to avoid that freeze/thaw cycle that is so hard on roots. Depending upon how your garden area faces, you may also need to add mulch over the winter if the prevailing winds have thinned/blown away your mulch blanket
During your fall prep work don’t forget that before the frost sets in, your lawn will need some TLC with a last fertilizing that contains high potassium for a strong root system as well as a moderate level of nitrogen to avoid a surge in growth.
As life-long residents, Chad and Scott are so familiar with this area as well as our brisk market. They would be honored to be your local market specialist and can best assist you with your specific needs. Contact them – Chad (705-423-9444 or Chad@WasagaRealEstate.com or Scott (705-446-6602 Scott@WasagaRealEstate.com . The Campbell Team would feel privileged to help make your Wasaga Dream come true.
Linda Campbell
Marketing Manager for The Campbell Team