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Keep Liberty Beautiful: Protecting your garden from the cold
Karen Bell
Keep Liberty Beautiful Executive Director Karen Bell.

Dr. Karen Bell

Keep Liberty Beautiful

I watched the news the other day, and a cold front was approaching. When I say it was cold, that does not express how cold it was outside.

As I prepared to leave my home and open my door, that wind made me remember what my grandmother Clara said: “Put on layers before you leave the house because once you leave, you cannot put on what you don’t have!” So, I made sure I put on my layers to stay warm!

We need layers of clothing to remain warm, as do the flowers and trees need layers of insulation. With the partnership with Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation and Georgia Forestry for Bring One For The Chipper 2025, a tree planting initiative, Keep Liberty Beautiful gave out 550 tree seedlings! We give a special thank you to Georgia Power and the Keep Liberty Beautiful Advisory Board for supporting our event. We could not do it without you.

With so many trees going to be planted in Liberty County, I wonder how they were doing in all this cold weather and whether their new owner knew how to take care of them. KLB often gets asked what should be done with a garden during the winter. I refer them to Amanda, the Keep Liberty Beautiful garden expert, who has years of experience and provides excellent information.

I found this online article “7 Simple Steps To Winterize Your Garden,” where Stacy Tornio identifies the most essential, must-do tasks for your garden. I will share with you what she recommends: 

Step 1: Clean out all the weeds.

You should clean out dead leaves, plant parts, and any invasive or diseased plants. Getting out pretty much anything you wouldn’t want in your garden during the growing season is essential. If you suspect a plant might be infected because it was infested with bugs, didn’t grow well, or had odd coloring, now’s the time for it to go. You don’t want those plants to continue invading your garden.

Step 2: Protect your new garden beds.

Adding a little extra coverage over the winter doesn’t hurt as the plants are getting established. Try a garden cloche and drape it over your entire garden area.

Step 3: Plant your bulbs.

This doesn’t fall in the “clean-up” category, but it’s still an essential list item to get done before the ground freezes. Plus, there’s a reason it’s on the winter list. Many times, gardeners have trouble planting bulbs. Either the ground is too hard, or they have clay soil, and they never seem to get the hole deep enough. In most cases, you need it several inches deep, so it has adequate protection over winter and is ready to bloom in spring. Let’s be proactive and get this done before the winter chill sets in so that we can enjoy a beautiful garden come spring.

Step 4: Give your plants one last drink, then turn the water off.

Before you turn off your water for the winter, giving your garden a nice long drink is crucial. This is especially the case for new trees, shrubs, and perennials. It’s a way of showing care and responsibility toward your plants, ensuring they have enough moisture to survive the winter. When you turn your water off, be sure to empty and store hoses, rain barrels, and other gardening supplies so they don’t crack from the cold.

Step 5: Put a winter jacket on your trees, shrubs, and rose bushes.

When establishing trees, shrubs, and rose bushes in your backyard or garden, they often need extra protection from those harsh winter winds. You can make your own using garbage bags, burlap, landscape fabric, or large cardboard boxes, or you can buy them. You want to ensure you secure them well so they don’t blow off on the most frigid days.

Step 6: Dig up your tender plants.

Suppose you have cannas, dahlias, elephant ears, or other sensitive bulbs and tubers like these. In that case, you need to dig them up before winter. You’ll want to place them in a dark location. Then, in spring, you can replant them for another season.

Step 7: Add some extra mulch.

Having good mulch in your garden is one of the best things you can do as a gardener. It adds organic matter to the soil, naturally deters weeds, and further insulates and protects the plants. If your garden areas look a little bare, add mulch before those cold temperatures hit. Even if you don’t like to place a jacket or cloche your plants, this can help so much because it will protect the roots and the area of the most vulnerable plants. If you are on a budget, try using your leaves as mulch.

I hope these tips help you have a wonderful garden. For more information, contact Keep Liberty Beautiful at (912) 880-4888 or email at klcb@libertycountyga. gov. You can also check our information at www. keeplibertybeautiful.org.

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