When winter rolls in, cold winds can damage and dry out garden plants.
Protecting plants throughout the winter generally requires some form of covering.
Mulching is one of the most common ways to protect plants through winter.
Sheila Letford, of Dykhof Nurseries and Florist in North Vancouver, says the one type of mulch homeowners should avoid is hay. There are lots of grass and weed seeds in hay so if hay is used for mulch, there may be a lot of weeding required in the spring. Better mulch options include evergreen branches, wood chips, straw, or dead, dry leaves. You can also use your own compost.
At least a four-inch layer of mulch should be applied, and it should be kept loose so air can penetrate to the soil, says Letford. Some of the mulch will decompose during the winter and the remaining mulch should be removed in the spring.
There are also winter cover crops, such as fall rye, which can be used instead of mulch.
Cover crops act much the same as mulch, but also hold nutrients in the roots. In the spring when the rye gets to be no more than six inches high, it is turned over and will decompose and put nutrients back into the soil.
"You have to make sure you put that in when the soil and the weather are still warm enough for the seeds to germinate otherwise you get a very sparse crop," warns Letford.
Burlap is also used to protect plants in the winter. Usually it is used to wrap plants, and it can also be used to construct fences around plants such as rhododendrons. Row cover is another option and consists of a light-weight fabric that is put on top of a crop row and is weighted down so it doesn't blow away.
Row covers are good for light frost protection, but shouldn't be left all winter because it doesn't work well with a snow load, explains Letford.
Besides a greenhouse, a popular choice among gardeners is using a cloche. Similar to a tunnel, a cloche is constructed with hoops of bent wire or small, plastic pipe and is covered with sheets of plastic.
"It really extends the garden season and you can do a lot of late crops and early crops under those because it keeps them warm," says Letford. Early crops that can be grown under a cloche
include lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, spring onions, spinach, turnips and beets. Late crops that can be grown under a cloche include lettuce, radish, spinach, carrots, turnips, peas, broad beans and spring onions.
Handy gardeners may build their own or there are kits available.
A cold frame is another option, and consists of a structure with four sides and a roof but it doesn't have a base. It is usually wood on the sides and the top is usually glass or plastic.
The roof is sloped and hinged so that it can be propped open for ventilation in the spring when it starts to get warmer.
Most plants don't enjoy being covered in snow for long periods of time. If plants do get a dump of snow, Letford recommends using a broom to gently brush the snow from branches so it doesn't build up.
