| If you're like most people it isn't the | | | | and roots, plan where you want to put next |
| thought of winterizing your garden that gets | | | | year's vegetables. Take a pad with you out |
| you, it's figuring out where to start. | | | | to the garden and make a sketch of where you |
| There's just so much to do that it can | | | | want to put all your lovely vegetable plants |
| sometimes be hard to know where to begin! | | | | in the spring. Doing this helps you make the |
| | | | most use of your garden area. No space goes |
| Well, relax. The harvest is in and putting | | | | unused if you take the time to plan-which |
| your garden to bed, so to speak, is one of | | | | means more delicious vegetables for you next |
| the more fun parts of gardening. You have a | | | | summer and fall! |
| nice full cellar and pantry. The hard work | | | | |
| is done, and you can relish the idea of | | | | You'll also want to be sure you've taken |
| preparing for next year's garden. | | | | proper care to winterize your garden |
| | | | equipment and tools. Drain the gas from your |
| Which is the perfect place to start | | | | lawnmower's tank, weed eater and other garden |
| winterizing your garden. One of the first | | | | equipment. You may also want to put the |
| things you should do is clean all the debris | | | | battery from the lawnmower and any other |
| from your garden. Get rid of dead foliage, | | | | garden equipment into storage where it will |
| leaves, roots, stakes and row markers. The | | | | remain at a steady, above-freezing |
| debris you clean from your garden can be | | | | temperature. This will help lengthen the life |
| added to your compost heap which will be a | | | | of the battery, which is good, because |
| big help come spring. You want to be sure, | | | | there's nothing worse than getting ready or |
| though, not to add any diseased debris or | | | | needing to mow only to find your lawnmower |
| pest infected dead leaves or stalks in your | | | | battery is dead. |
| compost pile. You don't want to accidentally | | | | |
| spread a disease from this year's garden to | | | | Take the time to put your tools and gardening |
| next year's. | | | | utensils away for their long winter's nap |
| | | | too. Make sure they're stored where mice |
| And now that you're in cleaning mode, get out | | | | can't nibble on the handles (they like all |
| the rake and attack those fallen leaves | | | | kinds of wood, you know). Also make sure |
| scattered across your lawn. Why is it so | | | | they're all cleaned before you store them |
| important to remove leaves from your lawn? | | | | away. And yes, please throw away any tools |
| Because the grass underneath the leaves still | | | | that are worn out and replace them or |
| needs all light it can get. Raking leaves | | | | startdropping hints to your family and |
| from your lawn also lets adequate air and | | | | friends about tools and equipment you need |
| moisture get to living plants in your yard. | | | | for gardening. This not only gives your |
| After all, you don't want any of your lovely | | | | family ideas for holiday gifts, it ensures |
| grass and plants to suffocate! | | | | that you won't be all excited and ready to |
| | | | start next year's gardening only to have |
| Winterizing your garden also means mulching. | | | | tools breaking on you left and right, leaving |
| You want to spread a light layer of mulch, | | | | you frustrated and having to make extra trips |
| just a few inches of it, around your trees | | | | to the local home improvement store. |
| and shrubs. This helps keep the underground | | | | |
| temperature more stable throughout the | | | | Now that your garden tools are ready for |
| winter, as well as offers much-needed | | | | winter, the next step in winterizing your |
| protection to roots underneath the surface. | | | | garden is to hit the local bookstores (or |
| Careful, though, too much mulch will become a | | | | favorite online gardening site!). Yes, you |
| home for rodents, which is the last thing you | | | | read that correctly. Once the work of |
| want. Mice just love to chew on bark, so | | | | winterizing your garden's behind you, it's |
| don't give them a place to hide while they | | | | time to curl up on the sofa in front of the |
| munch away. | | | | fire with a lovely stack of gardening books |
| | | | beside you. Because the only thing that |
| When winterizing your garden, you will also | | | | comes close to bringing you the same |
| want to take the time to plan next year's | | | | enjoyment that being in your garden does is |
| vegetable garden. After ridding your | | | | being engrossed in a great book about |
| vegetable garden plot of debris, old leaves | | | | gardening! |