It’s easy for your garden to look its best during summer. However, once summer blooms fade, your garden may look lifeless, especially when the winter weather comes. This is why you need to plan your garden to keep it year-round.
To achieve this, you should consider fall and winter, not just summer and spring months. If you’re entirely not sure where to begin, here are the tips for creating a year-round garden:
#1. Invest In A Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a structure built to grow plants year-round. At present, there are many types of greenhouses you can choose from. Each type serves its purpose. While a specific type of greenhouse is ideal for optimal airflow, others can be constructed to provide the warmest hothouse conditions.
Some greenhouses may be suitable for particular plants but may serve others poorly. So, knowing what every greenhouse type can offer will help you make a wise choice.
Generally, there are three primary types of greenhouses: detached, lean-to, ridge, and furrow. Some lean-to greenhouses are used for commercial purposes due to their size limitations. However, they’re a popular option among hobbyists with limited space who want to make a year-round garden.
Once you choose a suitable greenhouse, you can enjoy countless benefits, such as:
Longer Growing Season
One of the primary benefits of greenhouse gardening is that it provides a longer growing season. When it comes to greenhouses, the temperature doesn’t vary. Since the sunlight is trapped inside, it helps retain the heat, providing an optimum growing environment for your plants.
Protect Your Plants From Bad Weather
Bad weather, like dust storms, high winds, blizzards, and thunderstorms, may cause damage and destroy your garden. A greenhouse provides plants with a layer of protection from extreme weather elements.
Keep The Pests Away
You’ll find a greenhouse advantageous if you want to protect your garden from potential pests, such as rodents. Whatever type of greenhouse you choose may help keep the pests away, securing your garden year-round.
#2. Prioritize Plant Maintenance
Cull, prune, and deadhead your plants regularly. Deadheading eliminates old flower blooms to encourage new growth. On the other hand, pruning is cutting your plant’s branches to make room for more and control growth. Culling your plants can clean up unhealthy bits and make more space for your garden to grow. These methods can clear out possible hidden pests, promote growth, and increase room for your garden to flourish.
Add Bees to Your Garden
It always pays to invest in beehives to maintain a garden. It is a well-known fact that bees are very advantageous for plant growth. Bees, along with birds, are some of the best agents of pollination, and they help in the overall spread of flowers and other plants. There is also the added benefit of having a steady supply of honey.
Before you add bees to your garden, you should remember that bees can be aggressive toward intruders. As a rule, you should invest in tools such as bee suits and some essential beekeeping supplies. This will ensure that you can harvest the bee’s honey without putting yourself in any danger.
#3. Use Techniques That Allow You To Extend The Growing Season
There are various techniques for extending your garden’s growing season. The basic ones include the following:
Raised Bed Gardening
It provides several benefits for gardeners. Often, the raised beds enable you to extend your gardening season because the soil warms up earlier, which means you can grow crops sooner. In addition, since the beds are raised off the ground, it isn’t as challenging to work in your garden during the rainy season. This gardening technique also provides better soil and higher yields.
Raised bed gardens also contain fewer weeds and require less water. Depending on your preferences, you may purchase raised beds or make some specifically designed for your garden. However, ensure to utilize sufficient mulch to keep the soil in place once it rains heavily.
Planting Seeds Indoors
This gardening technique enables you to increase the number of available planting seasons. Rather than only having winter, fall, summer, and spring, you’ll have early and late versions of the seasons. For example, you can enjoy the late fall or mid-spring planting season. However, the key to success with this technique is to create a plan for crop rotation and garden layout.
Plastic-Covered Tunnels
This technique is ideal for small greenhouses. It lets you plant during early spring and provides a place to harden your tender seedlings, significantly if you’ve been growing some of them indoors. With proper ventilation in plastic-covered tunnels, you can be assured that your garden will last year-round.
#4. Have A Plan
Whether a novice or a veteran gardener, it’s always crucial to have a plan. If possible, spend time researching the different plants that bloom every season. It’ll ensure that you’re choosing the right plants for your hardiness zone and that you’ll have an interest in every season.
Remember that the goal is to keep your garden in bloom, regardless of the season. Consider asking for the assistance of gardening experts knowledgeable about the different plants you can use for a year-round garden to ensure a smooth process.
#5. Layer Your Plants
Creating a layered garden enables your plants to shine. Using a variety of heights also adds depth and interest to your landscape. Creating a solid base of shrubs and trees at the back of your garden is crucial to keeping your smaller perennials in front. It also makes maintenance more accessible by having fewer tedious plants, such as trees and shrubs, at the back, while plants that require more care will be within your reach.
Remember, proper plant maintenance can make a difference in creating a year-round garden. Consider layering your plants properly if you want to keep your garden blooming all year.
#6. Create A Chart For Your Garden
Keeping track of the different plants and what season to grow them can be confusing. This is why creating a chart or calendar is an excellent thing you can do to know what to plant. Break your chart down every month of the year and research what types of plants go for specific seasons in your region.
You can also create a chart that breaks down things that should be done for your garden every month. For instance, you can have a row for maintenance and another for planting. This way, you can quickly keep track of your garden and prioritize the things that should be done first to keep your garden last.
Conclusion
Creating a year-round garden may seem impossible, especially if you don’t know where to start. By keeping the above tips in mind, creating a garden that will last throughout the year is possible. With some planning and investing in a greenhouse, you’ll have a garden that will bloom continuously year-round without experiencing any inconvenience.
