Protect Your Growing Plants & Flowers from Cold Weather

Hi! I'm Arnesia Francis from Bell Nursery in Burtonville, MD for Expert Village. We are going to help you get your garden ready for the Winter. Let's talk about preparing your flower beds for the Winter months. Your first step is to cut back the perennials. You shouldn't worry about cutting back these plants. It won't hurt them. If you don't cut back the leaves and remove the foliage, when the freezing weather hits the frost will travel down to the roots and most likely, your plant will die. It is best to wait until the first frost to mulch. Four to six inches of mulch, pine leaves, dried leaves and cuttings will provide an adequate layer of protection for your plants. Be sure to water thoroughly before the ground freezes. Remember your plants are still making glucose in order to grow next Spring. Don't be afraid to cut your rose bushes back. They will love you for it in the Spring. This is dirt that I removed from a hole when I planted a tree. I didn't have anywhere to put the soil so I put it in the wheel barrel and it recently rained so as you can see it is like muddy now but that is good because I am going to put it around the rose bush and the water is going to seep of course into the earth. The dirt is going to dry and we will have rocks but all that is going to keep our roses warm during the snow. Next Spring I will remove the rocks before I lay down mulch. Remember a little garden work done now comes Spring, your garden will love you.