Winterize Your Garden Beds: Simple Steps to Protect Soil, Roots, and Microbes

Andrea Craig, Gardener/Farmer, Back to Earth Compost Crew

Andrea Craig is a member of the Back to Earth Compost Crew, working at our market collection sites. She has a background in farming and gardening. Below she shares tips about how to prep garden beds for the winter.

The act of prepping our garden spaces for winter has a sacred element to it. It allows us to tap into that primal part of ourselves that was once so in tune with the cycles of the sun, moon, and stars. As we move through fall, nature’s rhythm slows down and invites us to do the same. Yeah, we tuck in our vegetable beds and winterize our tool sheds, but there’s more to it than that.

It’s also a chance for us to nurture the land that continually provides for us. Think back and reflect on your year: successes, challenges, and silver linings. Which of your crops brought you legitimate joy? Did you hit any snags? What ideas do you have for next year? With those things in mind, here are some common practices to get you ready for a quiet winter.

First and foremost, decide what you want to clear out and what will stay. Can, pickle, or dry anything you’d like to enjoy during the colder months. These make for charming gifts during the holidays. It’s a good idea to research any items you’re overwintering (root veg, garlic, herbs, etc.) to make sure that sensitive crops are protected from the elements.

Burn or trash any diseased plant matter; some of those diseases can’t read the room, so to speak, and will overwinter in the soil. As for healthy plant matter, some people leave it to break down naturally in their garden beds. Totally cool. Leaving some plant roots in the ground will maintain your soil structure & give those microorganisms some material to work with. You could speed up the process by adding that organic matter to an official compost pile…that’s where we come in!

Speaking of compost, layering garden beds with just a couple inches of compost before the ground freezes is a game-changer. Soil amendments need time to break down, so fall is the perfect opportunity to let it do its thing. Your soil will soak up those nutrients just in time for spring. Cover crops are another great offering for your soil. Legumes like clover and vetch add nitrogen (cha-ching!) and organic matter to the soil. Broadcast those seeds in late summer or early fall and you’re in business. Covering your plot with leaves, straw, woodchips, or mulch also reduces erosion and suppresses weeds. Next season’s harvest will thank you for the extra TLC.

Daydreaming about seed catalogs and planning for spring keeps us garden-lovers warm in winter, which makes now a great time to create a gardening calendar or journal. Make note of any perennials that require mulching and/or pruning before winter, in dormancy, or in the spring. Get ahead by planning dates for next year's seeding, succession planting, and transplanting goals – literally anything you want!

I hope these suggestions are helpful. They’re a great way to synchronize yourself with the seasons, especially if that connection is something you’re craving.

For more tips and information about Andrea's gardening business, call of text her at 267-280-3251 or email her at acraig0422@gmail.com.