Just as you prepare your home against winter’s chill, you should take steps to keep your garden safe in the colder months. Start off by learning your growing zone and your plants’ cold hardiness.

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PROTECTION MEASURES

Potted plants should come inside, when possible. Check for insects and mold before bringing them in. For plants that can’t come in or are in the ground, put a thick layer of hay or mulch down to hold in heat and moisture, protecting plants’ root systems. On cold nights, fill water jugs with warm water and nestle them into the cover.

You can also use a plant-protecting blanket at night to keep freezing rain or frost from touching tender plants. Secure it with fabric pegs or lawn staples to keep it in place even when the wind blows.

For trees, put in a trunk wrap to protect against sun scald, which is caused by the alternate freezing and thawing of water in the trunk, usually on the southwest portion of the trunk that’s exposed to after noon sun. Remove the trunk wraps in spring. Stake young trees for winter and remove the staking materials in spring. Create enclosures around plants that animals may see as a buffet during the scarcity of winter. Put four-foot-tall hardware cloth fencing around the plants and bury the bottom a few inches into the soil. Put caps on conifer terminal buds to keep deer from topping the trees by folding a 4x6-inch sheet of plain paper and stapling the edges together, catching the needles with the staples.

WATERING PRACTICES

Even though many plants are dormant, provide water during the winter months. Evergreen trees and shrubs lose water during cold, dry days, and many plants continue Moist soils hold more heat than dry soils, keeping plants safe in freezing temperatures. Water at least 24 hours before hard-freezing weather arrives. Protect any water features from freezing temperatures by keeping the pump from freezing and removing water from ceramic and glass features that may crack. In colder areas, drain the water feature completely before cold sets in.

ASSESS THE SITUATION

Even if a plant is exposed, frost may not zap the whole thing. Leave it in until spring; sterns and roots may grow back in some cases.