Preparing your landscapes for winter

The sound of crunching leaves underfoot while enjoying your outdoor space, should be a sign that it is time to start preparing your landscapes and outdoor garden investments for winter.
Below are a few great links to help you do the job right and keep your plants thriving for years to come.

If you love the thrill of growing plants that come back year after year with little tending during the growing season, then you will want to reward them for their loyalty by tucking them in well for winter. This link will give you lots of info to keep your perennials coming back healthy each year:
http://www.garden.org/howtos/index.php?q=show&id=1655

Don't forget about your trees, they need love before winter's harsh chill too. Remember a healthy tree can add thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars to your homes value. This link will help you maintain your biggest investment in the garden:

http://www.yourhome.ca/homes/outdoorliving/gardeningandlandscaping/treesandshrubs/article/1037538--fall-s-a-good-time-to-prepare-trees-for-winter

We all love and appreciate the vivid ever blooming colour of summer annuals. Rather than tossing them in your leaf bags for pick up at the end of the season, many annuals  such as geraniums can be over wintered and will offer you even mor colour and bigger blooms next year. Here is a link that I have found helpful in the past:

http://gardening.about.com/od/winterinthegarden/ss/Store_Geraniums_6.htm

Lastly, after months of pulling out unsightly weeds, overseeding bare spots and pet burns and willing the rain to fall, we cannot forget about the lawn. Taking a few simple steps before the (hopeful) thick blanket of snow covers your grass, will ensure your lawn is healthy come spring and ready for hours of bare feet and hot summer fun next year. Hope this helps:

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/08-027w.htm

Happy digging.
Laura