Winter Plant Bed Makeover

Before

Winter is the perfect season to makeover plant beds on your property, not simply a time to refresh the mulch because its content and surrounding trees and shrubs have dropped their foliage.

But, it is the season to give a plant bed and its inhabitants a fresh look when they are not displaying blooms or their most vibrant leaves and fullness. Also, this season gives you time to evaluate last year's growth and expand, redraw and establish new borders.

During

I maintain most of the shrubs and trees on this property; yet, I had no idea the bed had gotten to such a state of weediness and such lack of mulch.

I removed most of the weeds by hand and tool and as you may notice this involved removing most of the mulch. There are techniques for removing unwanted ground growth from mulch without disturbing as much mulch as possible, but this was not the opportunity.

During

This property is not new to me. I know this bed and its soil. It is well established and healthy, so I wasn't concerned about removing mulch where not need be. Where it wasn't necessary, I didn't, as the bed contains many years of decomposed mulch. The last time it was fertilized was, well, "I don't remember."

When I trim these plants and the mulch is fresh I use a collection tarp in front of and beside the plants, leaving the less noticeable cuttings to fall behind the plants, to decompose.

I've pruned that barren japanese maple (one of over 15 on the property) a myriad of times and hope to for many, many years.

Shaping this bed is a joy and it's not the first time I've done so. Beds should be a pallet which suit the size and shape of its content and one which accents the surroundings - natural and man-made.

After

The new (re-established) border, which was done manually, serves two purposes, actually three. It provides more definition, delineation, from its next door neighbor - in this case, a wonderful lawn. Secondly, it helps retain the mulch. It also helps make edging the border easier over time, particularly when alongside centipede, Bermuda or St. Augustine.

After

As for applying pine straw; it should be pulled in small amounts from the bale section, lightly tossed, recognizing and thinning out any clumping sections - not thrown in large sections, or clumps. It should look as if it has fallen in a dense forest.

Wandering your property, stepping back and giving some thought, may pay greatly.

Beyond this, it may take a little grit and a some hand-and-knee work, and then, voila - something you appreciate, something simple, something you enjoy.