When it comes to gardening, the winter offers a break from vigorous weed growth, but it’s also an excellent time to plan and prepare.
Charla Anthony with Brazos County Master Gardeners says you can determine what you like and don’t like in the skeleton of your garden, and think of new possibilities.
Anthony says to look at your landscape, examining trees and shrubs to see which might not being doing so well.
She says it’s a wonderful time to examine trees, particularly deciduous ones, because it’s easy to see their form and structure.
Anthony adds that although November is the ideal time to plant trees and shrubs in Bryan-College Station, this is still a great time to plant, because the winters are mild enough that many plants continue to grow without ever going fully dormant.
She says winter plantings give shrubs and trees a head start, with a chance to establish themselves before the struggle of our hot, dry summers.
She says it’s a good idea to prune any newly planted trees, which will stimulate new growth.
However, she recommends putting mulch on the root crown to protect the plant from the cold, and not pruning before a freeze, which can be harsh on the plant’s system.
Anthony says you might have to look a little harder to find plant material in garden centers, but it’s out there.
Anthony says you can call their office with your gardening questions at 979-823-0129.
Charla Anthony visits with WTAW’s Kat McMullen
CLICK HERE for quick access to the Brazos County Master Gardener website
CLICK HERE to be taken directly to the BCMG vegetable planting guide