Preparing your garden for winter: agronomist’s tips for a fresh spring start
As winter approaches, the garden requires additional care to withstand the cold and frost. Sensitive plants need protection, and the soil should be cleaned and treated appropriately, advised consultant agronomist Daniel Drăgan in an interview for the show "Morning with Radio Moldova." The specialist recommends completing the final autumn tasks with care, ensuring the garden thrives in optimal conditions when spring arrives.
"Sensitive plants are recommended to be covered with agricultural foil or agril. This method protects them from low temperatures, but still allows light and air to circulate", explains the specialist. He draws attention to the fact that the protective material should not touch the leaves, "because condensation and mold form".
For shrubs, mulching is the most effective method. "It is protected at the base with a layer of dry leaves, straw or sawdust. This way, the root is protected from frost", says Daniel Drăgan. For lawns, he recommends "that the last cut be made higher, at about six centimeters", so that the grass can protect the root from the cold.
This period is also the right time to apply phytosanitary treatments. "After the leaves fall, treatments are made against pests and diseases. For diseases, copper-based products such as Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate are recommended. They disinfect and destroy overwintering fungi and bacteria", explains the agronomist. To combat pests, he indicates the use of products based on horticultural oils, "which penetrate the cracks of the trees and destroy the eggs, larvae and overwintering insects".
The specialist also warns about common mistakes. One of them is leaving leaves and plant debris on the ground, which "become a source of diseases and a shelter for pests". Another standard error is "cutting trees too early, when the sap is still circulating", as well as "not applying phytosanitary treatments before wintering".
"The simple recommendation for gardeners would be to do a general cleaning in the garden, apply preventive treatments and protect the roots by mulching", concludes Daniel Drăgan.
Carefully preparing the garden for winter is not just a way to end the season, but an investment in its health and beauty for the following year.
Author: Alina Chiperi
