If you have plants, it is normal for you to worry a lot about them in winter, since the plants can suffer from drops in temperature, cold and wind, causing them not to survive. But, How to care for outdoor plants in winter?
If you cannot move your plants from where they are, either because you have them planted in the ground, or because they are large pots that can no longer be moved due to their weight, here we go with some options that can come in handy to protect them.
Caring for outdoor plants in winter
In winter, we not only have to protect outdoor plants from low temperatures, but also from rains, frosts and winds that can affect their health. Therefore, you have to try to take care of them even more than in summer so that they are strong for spring. And what do you have to look at?
Ldamp
In winter the plants do not need as much water for irrigation and, in addition, it must be taken into account that there may be humidity in the environment, which means that, if before you watered it with water and it lasted 2-3 days, now it can easily be maintained for a week. Or more. But subjecting the plant to constant humidity can affect the roots and cause fungi to appear, which is very harmful.
Therefore, to avoid this problem it is best reduce watering to the maximum. In fact, some plants overwinter without being watered because they cope well with just the humidity. And this can be a good solution.
But if you need to water them, we advise you not to do it abundantly but rather minimally. Although that means you have to water them more times, it is better than facing an infestation since, in winter, they make more of a dent.
Sanear the plant
Winter is the perfect time to sanitize and oxygenate a plant, that is, to clean it of dead leaves and flowers, to prune branches that are dry, look weak or present problems, etc.
Although pruning is usually done in early spring, with some plants it can be done in winter (and with better results). This is because the plant slows down its sap which makes it less "painful" for them to lose branches and they will concentrate in spring to activate their growth.
Depending on how the plant is and what cut you give it, some experts recommend having sealant on hand, This prevents the cold or other problems from "entering" the plant through these cuts.
Tplanting plants
The reason is similar to the previous one, although we do not recommend, if the plants are delicate and sensitive, that you do both in the same season (prune and transplant). It is better to do one in winter and another in early spring to avoid subjecting it to great stress.
Also, keep in mind that For the first few days, you will need to keep her protected until she adjusts to her "new home."
Prevent pests
Winter is one of the seasons when plants can suffer from pests and diseases. The problem is that these may not face up until spring, and affect not only one plant, but all those that have been in contact with it (or the entire garden if the wind plays against us).
Therefore, monitoring the condition of the plants is very important, both what is seen and what is not (the roots). If you notice anything strange it is better to isolate the plant to check it.
And of course, use pest prevention methods, at least for the most common ones, which give the plants the necessary nutrients so that they can fight them.
Ways to protect outdoor plants in winter
In addition to the care that you must offer to the plants in winter, it is also advisable that the plants protect yourself from the cold, especially if you live in an area with low temperatures, with the possibility of snow or even frost.
If so, the ways you have to protect them
Plastics to cover them
One of the first options that we recommend are plastics. A normal, large plastic that allows you to cover, if it can be, an extension of your garden. Or, if what you have are pots, all of it, since this way you not only protect the outside of the plant, but also the inside (we mean the roots).
Believe it or not, doing this is helpful because allows you to control the temperature of the plant. You don't need to seal the plastic, since it has to breathe. But at least it will not suffer those low temperatures or the cold.
Similar to what we have proposed are plastic bottles, five or eight liters. These allow you to cover the plant, but only the plant, so if they do not have problems with the roots you could avoid the cold and the wind with this method.
Protective meshes
In this case we are going to give you two options. Because you can Consider protecting the ground from trees, shrubs, and other plants or covering them entirely.
If it is in the first case, you will need a mesh that you can customize for each plant, in such a way that you cover its surroundings so that the temperature of the roots is kept somewhat more constant and that way they will not freeze.
On the other hand, in the second case you would have a larger mesh or fabric that, with some irons, you could build a kind of tunnel to protect the plants. Of course, you have to fix it well and, if possible, cover the ends since, if not, it will often be useless, and in the end the wind will end up taking it away.
Now that you know how to take care of outdoor plants in winter and how to protect them, it will be more difficult for them to die or become ill. Of course, it is necessary that you know each one you have to know what their needs are, especially temperature since this way you will vary the care you need. Can we help you out with one of them?