Winter is a beautiful time of year in Connecticut, but can pose some challenges for our home gardens.  Here are some helpful tips for getting the garden ready for winter:

1. It’s important to clean up and remove dead plants and debris.  Dead and decaying plants and debris breed pathogens that can overwinter in our soil and attack young plants in the spring.
2. Winter is a great time to prune and cut back your perennial plants and bushes.  Plants such as hydrangeas that have finished blooming and have dead flowers should be removed.  Prune any dead branches and canes.
3. Apply a layer of mulch around perennial plants to help retain moisture and protect the roots over the winter.
4. Protect young or sensitive plants from the winter.  Young plants are especially vulnerable to the desiccating effects of winter wind.  Try wrapping these plants with burlap to create a windbreak.
5. Before storing your garden tools, clean them with a mild disinfectant or cleaner.  Any spores or pathogens on your garden tools that are dormant can otherwise be reintroduced into your garden soil next spring when you use a garden tool that has not been sanitized.
6. Empty and clean your pots and containers with a disinfecting agent.  Store them in a clean, dry place.
7. Fertilize and amend your garden soil with nutrients to give your perennials and new plants added soil structure and fertility for spring.
8. Consider planting cover crops such as winter rye or clover in your vegetable beds to protect the soil from erosion.  In the spring, a cover crop will return nitrogen and organic material to your garden soil.