As humans, we are allowed to make mistakes. Since we are not landscaping maintenance experts, we will certainly do many things wrong when it comes to our garden. No wonder why most people would hire a professional landscaping company to do all the work for them! And that’s because our mistakes will kill our gardens. Still wondering why your neighbor has such a lovely garden in the spring while you are still struggling to learn whether to plant roses or iris!
And one more thing! Each season is peculiar when it comes to garden maintenance! You might have your hands full in the spring and only so much you can do during the winter but still, you must avoid doing or not doing things that might have a negative effect on your garden. So let’s see, which are the 5 most common mistakes we all do in the winter when it comes to our garden?
5 common winter garden maintenance mistakes
1. Keep using weed killers
As a rule of thumb, proper lawn maintenance requires getting rid of weeds. As a
matter of fact, if you use homemade products free of chemicals, you will do a great favor to your garden. But there is no need for weed killers during the winter. The only thing you’ll do is ruin your plants. After all, such products are only effective when the weather is warm.
2. Let garden pests have it their way
Most people are under the (false) impression that insects die during the winter due to the low temperatures. Just because you can’t see them, it doesn’t mean they are not there. Let us just remind you that insects are very resilient and have their way of surviving by digging deep into the ground. They find protection in the plants and under the soil and as a result, they can cause plant damage.
3. Forget to take care of the lawn till it snows
Gardens need good care in order to survive. You might not be able to do a lot when snow falls and the yard is covered with the white blanket, but it doesn’t snow every single day during the winter. Your plants need watering so that they won’t dehydrate or get sick. When it rains or snows, you don’t need to water them. But when the season is drier, you have to take care of them.
4. Spread salt over the garden plants
When it comes to winters in Toronto, snow removal cannot be avoided. But be extra careful when you shovel the pathways, use snow blowers, and where you stash the shoveled snow. You don’t want to clean the pathways and put more stress on your lawn and plants. And it takes great attention when it comes to salting. Some salt might end up on your plants. But keep in mind that large portions will cause damage. So watch it when you blow snow already salted. The nearby plants might die.
5. Neglect to protect plants from frost
Not all plants can survive the heavy winters. The most sensitive ones should be moved in a sheltered area or even indoors. That’s something we all forget to do until it’s too late. Those left outside should be covered. But we often forget to do that too. Sometimes, it’s best to relocate plants even if it seems to be too late. So check with your local property maintenance contractor and do what’s necessary. Keeping the garden protected during the winter is not that hard to do.