As autumn's vibrant colours fade and winter's chill sets in, it's time to prepare your vegetable garden for the colder months ahead. While many conventional methods involve chemical treatments and plastic coverings, there are plenty of natural and eco-friendly ways to winterise your garden—and you can involve your children in the process too.
5 STEPS TO NATURAL WINTER PREP
- Compost boost: Before winter arrives, give your garden soil a nutritious boost with compost. Compost adds essential nutrients to the soil, enhances its structure, and promotes healthy plant growth. This also allows your compost to “cook” before the springtime.
- Mulching magic: Mulching protects your garden soil from freezing temperatures and retains moisture during the winter. Don’t let your soil sit exposed over the winter as the microbes living within also need protection. Use organic materials such as straw, leaves, or wood chips as your mulch.
- Cover crop love: Consider planting cover crops like clover or winter rye in September/October once your summer crops have died down, to protect and enrich your garden soil during the winter months. These crops help prevent erosion, suppress weeds, and add organic matter to the soil when they decompose. It’s also food for your microbes in the soil! Involving your children in the planting and care of cover crops can be a fun and educational experience for them too.
- Cut larger plants instead of removing them: You can do this for tomatoes, beans, or even squash. Don’t pull the whole plant out after it’s done; instead, cut at the base an inch above the soil and remove the stem and leaves, but allow the roots to decompose over the winter in the ground. Again, food for the microbes that make your soil healthy come spring.
- Clean your garden tools: Don’t overlook this step; we want to ensure our tools and gadgets last as long as possible. Wash your tools with soap and water, protect wood with natural oils, and wash your garden gloves after your final garden tasks before the snow comes. Come spring, knowing your tools are clean and ready to go is the best feeling.
FOUR WAYS TO INVOLVE YOUR KIDS
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Garden planning: Sit down with your children and involve them in the planning process for next year’s spring garden. Let them choose which vegetables they want to grow, and allow them to select seeds or seedlings over the wintertime. This not only teaches them about gardening but also gives them a sense of ownership and responsibility for the garden.
- Garden tasks: Assign age-appropriate tasks to your children to help care for the garden throughout the winter. Younger children can help with simple tasks like gathering leaves for composting or spreading mulch, while older children can assist with planting cover crops or harvesting vegetables before the first frost.
- Nature observation: Use the garden as a teaching tool in the fall to help your children learn about the natural world around them. Take regular walks in the garden to observe changes in plants, wildlife, and weather patterns. Encourage them to ask questions and explore their curiosity about the environment.
- Creative projects: Spark your children's creativity by incorporating art and crafts into garden care. Allow them to create homemade garden markers using natural materials like stones or wooden sticks. You can also encourage them to paint or draw pictures of the plants and wildlife they observed in the garden during the summer.
We love focusing on natural methods to protect our soil and garden over the winter. Plus, when you involve your children in garden care, you create a sustainable and educational experience that nurtures both your garden and your family's connection to the environment. Winter prep isn’t just a chore but an opportunity for learning, bonding, and fostering a love of nature for the next generation. I hope you can experience and embrace the beauty of the changing season.
