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December 28.2025
3 Minutes Read

Protect Your Garden: 7 Plants to Wrap in Burlap This Winter

Colorful flowering plants wrapped in burlap for winter.

Why Wrapping Plants in Burlap Matters

As winter approaches, many gardeners face the daunting task of protecting their beloved outdoor plants from the chilling cold. Potted plants, in particular, are vulnerable because their roots are exposed to harsh temperatures. This vulnerability can lead to root damage or even plant loss if adequate measures are not taken. One effective and straightforward strategy is to wrap these delicate plants in burlap, providing them with essential insulation while allowing breathability.

Understanding the Benefits of Burlap

Burlap is an ideal material for plant winterization for several reasons. It not only offers excellent insulation but also promotes ventilation, preventing overheating or excess moisture. Unlike plastic, which can trap humid air and create an environment conducive to mold, burlap is breathable and biodegradable. This environmental consideration is particularly important for eco-conscious gardeners looking to maintain a sustainable approach to gardening.

7 Essential Plants to Wrap for Winter Protection

To help you protect your plants, here are seven species that thrive in colder climates and benefit significantly from burlap wrapping:

  • Colorado Blend Yarrow: Native to North America, these hardy plants can withstand temperatures down to zone 3. Wrapping them provides protection while still allowing insects like bees to find refuge.
  • King Size Apricot Aster: With adaptability across zones 4-8, asters not only add vibrant colors to your garden but also support local wildlife by providing winter forage.
  • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea): Known for their hardiness and ability to flourish despite cold spells, these perennial favorites thrive well when wrapped during winter.
  • Creeping Phlox: Low-growing and resilient, they do well in containers but can benefit from extra wrapping when temperatures drop.
  • Hostas: While they sleep during winter, a burlap wrap can protect their roots from punitive cold snaps.
  • Coral Bells: Their delicate foliage requires protection against frost damage, which burlap can offer.
  • Hellebores: Known for blooming in winter, these beauties still benefit from some insulation to aid their growth and flowers during the cold months.

How to Properly Wrap Your Plants

Follow these simple steps to ensure your plants are safeguarded:

  1. Prepare the Plant: Before wrapping, make sure your plants are in a sheltered location. Water them lightly to prevent roots from freezing.
  2. Measure and Cut the Burlap: Make sure you have enough burlap to cover the entire plant and pot, cutting appropriately.
  3. Wrap Securely: Wrap the burlap around the plant starting at the base, ensuring that the roots are covered. Secure with twine or natural rope.
  4. Provide Extra Insulation: Consider adding mulch or dried leaves around the base of the plant to further protect roots and soil.

Making Your Garden Ready for Winter: Beyond Burlap

Wrapping plants in burlap is just one aspect of winter preparation for your garden. For instance, constructing outdoor soil beds or starter garden projects can enhance your overall gardening experience by optimizing your planting. Additionally, employing tools such as homemade watering devices for winter can simplify plant care during these colder months.

Conclusion: Taking Action to Protect Your Plants

During winter, your garden may seem dormant, but with the right preparations, your plants can emerge healthy and vibrant in the spring. Wrapping your container plants in burlap not only protects them from the cold but also fosters an environment for wildlife. If you're looking to revive your garden next season, consider integrating composting barrels for nutrient enrichment or upcycling materials for creative gardening solutions. Each small action contributes to a successful growing season.

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12.22.2025

Master Winter Lawn Care in Shelby, MI: Essential Tips You Need

Update Getting Your Lawn Ready for Winter As winter approaches, ensuring that your lawn is well-prepared can significantly impact its health come spring. Many homeowners and business owners in Shelby, MI, may think that winter is a time to neglect lawn care, but this season provides critical opportunities to nurture your outdoor space. Whether managing a residential yard or a commercial property, the right winter lawn care practices can pave the way for lush, green grass when the warmer weather returns. Why Winter Lawn Preparations Matter One of the most vital steps in winter lawn care is aeration. This process alleviates soil compaction, allowing essential air and nutrients to reach the roots of your grass. For homeowners in Shelby, MI, aerating the lawn should be performed in late fall, ideally before the first frost sets in. Not only does aeration promote healthier grass growth, but it also enhances the effectiveness of winter fertilizers, setting your lawn up for success. Fertilization: Give Your Lawn a Nutritional Boost Applying a winter-grade fertilizer is crucial as well. While regular fertilizers focus on promoting lush growth, winter fertilizers are formulated to strengthen roots, allowing grass to withstand cold temperatures. Look for products high in potassium and lower in nitrogen. These fertilizers help the grass store nutrients in the roots, ensuring quick recovery and vibrant growth when spring arrives. Overseeding for a Thicker Lawn If your lawn has any bare or thin spots, overseeding can rejuvenate it effectively. This involves spreading a mix of hardy winter grass seeds over existing turf. For residents of Shelby, MI, late fall is the best time to overseed, ensuring the new seeds have a chance to germinate before winter fully settles in. This practice will not only fill gaps but also increases lawn density, which leads to a healthier lawn in the long term. Cleanup and Protection: Keeping Your Lawn Safe Before it snows, a key part of your preparation should be tidying up your lawn. Remove leaves, branches, and debris to prevent mold and other issues that could harm your grass. Consider applying a layer of mulch or compost post-aeration to insulate the soil and add nutrients that promote healthy soil conditions throughout winter. Hire Professionals for Peace of Mind While many lawn care tasks are manageable for homeowners, engaging professional services, like those offered in Shelby, MI, can provide much-needed expertise. Lawn specialists ensure that critical tasks like aeration and fertilization are done correctly, yielding better results. They can also help troubleshoot any lawn issues that arise during the winter months. By taking the time to care for your lawn this winter through aeration, fertilization, overseeding, and proper cleanup practices, you pave the way for a stunning lawn in the spring. Stay ahead of the lawn care game in Shelby, MI, and invest in your outdoor space. Reach out to local lawn service experts to see how they can assist you this season!

12.17.2025

Unlocking Your Yard's Potential: 5 Easy Tests to Identify Soil Type

Update Understanding Your Soil for a Thriving Yard As avid gardeners and homeowners, we all seek the perfect lawn—lush, green, and brimming with health. Yet, many of us overlook a crucial element: the soil beneath our feet. Understanding your soil type is essential for effective lawn care, as it directly impacts water drainage, nutrient absorption, and overall plant health. Luckily, you don't need expensive lab tests to discover your soil’s secrets; you can easily perform several DIY tests at home. The Importance of Soil Testing Successful gardening begins with healthy soil, which is as vital as sunlight and water. Various soil types—sandy, loamy, clay, and silty—each have distinct properties that dictate how well they support plant growth. According to experts, understanding your soil's structure helps guide essential decisions about fertilization and amendments, ensuring your plants thrive in their environment. Conducting a soil test not only helps reveal the nutrient levels but also prepares your garden for optimal performance. Five Simple DIY Soil Tests Ready to unlock the mysteries of your garden soil? Here are five straightforward tests that can help you identify your soil type: The Jar Test: Visualize Your Soil Composition The jar test is a simple method to analyze your soil’s sand, silt, and clay content. Start by filling a mason jar about one-third full with soil, topping it off with water and a few drops of dish soap to separate the particles. After shaking vigorously, leave it undisturbed for 24-48 hours. You will observe layers settling in the jar, which represent the proportions of sand, silt, and clay. A significant sand layer indicates quick drainage, while a thick clay layer shows slow drainage but good nutrient retention. This foundational understanding can inform your decisions on soil amendments and plant selections. The Ribbon Test: Assessing Clay Content To gauge the clay content of your soil, you can perform the ribbon test using just your hands. Take a handful of moist soil and roll it into a ribbon. If the ribbon forms and holds its shape, you have clay-rich soil, which can retain more nutrients but also hold more water, leading to drainage issues. Conversely, if it falls apart easily, your soil likely contains a significant amount of sand. This experiment gives a tactile understanding of your soil’s texture and informs the type of plants that will thrive in your garden. The Drainage Test: Measure Water Retention Poor drainage can hinder plant health, so conducting a drainage test helps you understand how quickly water moves through your soil. Dig a hole about 12 inches deep and fill it with water. Monitor how long it takes for the water to drain away. If it takes more than 24 hours, you may have clay-rich, poorly draining soil, while quick-draining soils will empty within a few hours. Knowing your soil's drainage capabilities assists in selecting the right plants and managing irrigation wisely. The Squeeze Test: Checking Moisture Retention This quick test tells you how well your soil holds moisture. Squeeze a handful of soil; if it forms a ball and holds together, your soil has good moisture retention. If it crumbles, it’s likely more sandy, indicating quick draining and potentially requiring more frequent watering. This is crucial information for someone looking to optimize their garden’s watering schedule, especially in varying climates or seasonal conditions. The Visual Observation Test: Overall Soil Health Finally, don’t underestimate the power of visual observation. Healthy soils will have a rich brown color, a crumbly texture, and signs of life such as earthworms and microbial activity. Poor health may reveal compaction, a lack of organic matter, or a sterile look. Taking the time to visually assess your soil's condition, along with the tests above, provides a comprehensive view of what might need amending. Make the Most of your Soil Discoveries Once you've assessed your soil type, the next step is to take action! Amending your soil based on its composition can enhance its fertility and overall health. For sandy soils, incorporate organic matter such as compost to improve nutrient content and moisture retention. For clay-heavy soils, adding sand and organic matter will help break up compaction and improve drainage. By understanding the type of soil in your garden, you can make informed decisions about care and cultivation, leading to vibrant plants and a healthy yard. Your Lawn Care Partner Have you performed these tests and are ready to improve your lawn? Don’t hesitate to contact a landscaping professional. Services from companies like LawnStarter can provide you with further insights on soil amendments and tailored lawn care plans to help your garden thrive sustainably.

12.27.2025

Start a Backyard Planting Box: 7 Seeds to Start Under Grow Lights in December

Update Start Your Gardening Journey: Seeds to Sow in December As winter arrives and the outside world lies dormant, many gardeners turn their thoughts to what spring will bring. December is the perfect opportunity to spark your gardening enthusiasm by starting seeds indoors under grow lights. By doing this, you give them a head start, ensuring bountiful harvests long before the first frost melts away. In this article, we explore several crops that thrive when started indoors during the colder months, making the most of your time and resources until warmer weather arrives. Boost Your Harvests with Early Tomato Starts Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are a must-have for any garden and benefit significantly from being started early. These popular plants require around 70 to 100 days from transplant to harvest, depending on the variety. For those with shorter growing seasons, look for determinate types, which yield their fruit all at once. Varieties like 'Cherokee Carbon' offer glorious harvests and grow best in full sun to partial shade, reaching heights of 12 to 72 inches. Little surprises like cherry tomatoes can be a great choice for limited spaces, fitting snugly into hanging baskets or small pots. The Colorful World of Peppers Similar to tomatoes, peppers (Capsicum spp.) also thrive when started indoors under grow lights in December. The maturation of peppers takes longer, generally 8 to 10 weeks before transplanting. However, they reward gardeners with a plethora of fruity flavors. Exciting options like 'Shishito' and 'Mini Red Bell' peppers can add variety to your culinary creations and are perfect for Michigan gardeners looking to spice things up. Remember, keeping the seeds warm with a heat mat can significantly encourage healthy germination. Your Guide to Growing Onions If you're ready to tackle a more advanced crop, onions (Allium cepa) might just be the ticket. These versatile bulbs typically take longer to mature, making early starts essential for success. When planted indoors in December, onions can flourish to provide flavorful additions to your dishes. Ideal conditions include full sun for six to twelve inches of height. Engaging with your onion crop early can set you up for robust spring yields. Herbs: The Flavor Boosters In addition to vegetables, it's a great time to plant many herbs under grow lights. Varieties like rosemary and common oregano not only enhance your meals but also provide a delightful fragrance in your home. These herbs often have shorter growing timelines and can be sprouted from seed directly indoors. Preparing for Success: Equipment and Techniques Setting up your grow lights requires some thoughtful planning. Aim for 12 to 16 hours of light each day, mimicking natural sunlight cycles to encourage strong growth. Whether you’re constructing your own planting boxes or opting for store-bought equipment, consider the layout and how much space you have for seed trays and pots. Layering soil beds with compost will ensure your seeds have a nutrient-rich environment to strive for optimal growth. Growing Beyond December: Future Steps As you plan for the planting that comes after the last frost, it’s wise to think ahead by incorporating various annuals and perennials into your garden design. Mix and match plants that thrive under your local conditions, drawing inspiration from gardening boards or pros in Muskegon. For sustainable practices, consider projects such as building a composting barrel or constructing outdoor soil beds that will enhance your garden while reducing waste. The seeds you choose to start now will pave the way for a thriving spring garden. Maximize your at-home gardening success by monitoring plant health, adjusting light conditions, and learning from every new growth cycle. Embrace the winter with anticipation and creativity as you prepare to showcase your beautiful garden once the frost lifts.

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