Recovering Your Garden from Harsh Manitoba Winters
By Erna
“Soon comes the cold and the night that never ends.”
– George R. R. Martin
This winter was a particularly harsh one. We saw it all, from the biting cold to periodic spring weather in January. This winter really took itself out on us but as the weather has turned to summer we saw that it was especially tough on our plants. With less snow cover than usual, our plants didn’t get the sheltering insulation they’re used to so they shivered away all winter. Too much cold and not much protection has left our plants stressed.
The good news is that while the plants may be stressed, we see lots of healthy signs! Many of our plants are just as tough as we are – they’re recovering well, with plenty of budding and regrowth. Some plants may not have fared so well, though. Plants from somewhat outside our Zone 3b hardiness might need some help getting back into a growing mood. Plants that are even Zone 3 and better took a beating, too! This can happen on occasion, especially with stronger winters like this one.
While it may seem like a daunting task to recover your garden this year, don’t fret! We’re here to give you some simple tips and tricks to helping your garden even when it’s stressed.
Recovering After Winter
After the winter ends, it’s all about playing the waiting game. Sometimes after a particularly hard winter, plants may take longer to bounce back. It can often feel like a test of patience, but giving them the time they may need may reveal healthy, thriving plants you once thought dead. You can tell if your plants are waking up by looking for simple signs of life: buds, green growth, green tissue under bark, and bendable branches.
If your plants are struggling to make a spring and summer come-back, we recommend a healthy dose of Evolve Rage Plus Organic Fertilizer.
This fertilizer comes from the Dirt n’ Grow company, based right here in Manitoba. Being from here, they know what our plants go through in the winter and can give them all they need to bounce back. Rage Plus is an amazing metabolism boost for plants at any stage. It is packed with hormones and potassium that act as a multivitamin for your plants. It gives them the nutrients they need and works to digest dead or dying roots to help bring them back to life.
Plants that don’t recover may not have stood up to everything the winter throws at us. To keep your garden full of healthy life, they will need to be replaced. If they haven’t shown any signs of a recovery by now, we’re afraid that they might not have made it. Right now is the best time at the garden centre to replace your plants, trees, and shrubs! Introducing new additions to your yard earlier in the season is ideal so that they can be well situated in your yard months before the cold weather hits, and therefore ready to take on all of our local weather challenges. If you had a plant that didn’t make it last season, we’ll be happy to help you find something that is a perfect fit for your yard – and hardy enough or easy to protect to make it through winters to come. We are at the peak of our inventory, so replacing is easier than ever.
Harsh winters often leave us worried for our gardens. Given our weather, it’s natural to be worried about your plants roughing it in the cold all winter. With a little knowledge and preparation, though, your garden can thrive even in the worst conditions Manitoba can offer. For more tips and tricks for handling our winter climate, come into the garden centre today! We’re always excited to help you take care of your plants and set your yard and garden up for success all year.