As winter progresses in St. Louis, we’ll start to see our firsts frosts and snowfall. Snow protects and endangers our perennial plants. Similar to mulch, a good snow cover can insulate the soil. To prepare your perennial plants for the upcoming colder weather months,  we’ve created a quick easy-to-use checklist for any home gardener in the St. Louis area to use, to keep their perennials properly insulated throughout the winter season:

• Cut any dry stems off of your perennials plants to soil level after frost to neaten your garden and remove any pest eggs or disease spores that may be lingering.
• Compost dead plant debris, which will create an organic soil conditioner.
• Cut diseased foliage from evergreen plants and shrubs and discard it in the trash.
• Prevent rodents from nesting in your soil beds by adding a 6” layer of organic material as winter mulch after the ground freezes.
• Mulch perennial and shrub beds with pine needles or chopped leaves. This can protect both plant roots and the soil.

Winter is also a great idea to reflect on any gardening ideas for next year. Check out some of our brainstorming tips here!