How to Prepare Your Garden for Winter: What You Can Still Do Before the Cold Sets In

October is the time when gardens slowly quiet down, yet there’s still plenty to be done. As long as the soil remains unfrozen and plants are active, it’s worth completing key preparations to help them stay strong through winter and recover quickly in spring.

Autumn Fertilization – for Strong Roots and Successful Wintering

Autumn fertilization is not meant to boost growth, but to strengthen root systems. At this stage, plants particularly need phosphorus and potassium, which:

• strengthen root tissues,
• increase frost resistance,
• improve nutrient storage,
• and help plants recover faster in spring.

The best choice for this period is granulated autumn fertilizer for lawns, gardens, and vegetable plots (NPK 4-9-17). Enriched with humic and amino acids, it not only supplies plants with essential nutrients but also improves soil structure and microbial activity.

These fertilizers are suitable for fruit trees, shrubs, strawberries, vegetables, and lawns. They help plants prepare for winter and green up earlier in spring.

Strengthening Roots and Improving Establishment

Early October is still a good time to plant trees, berry bushes, and ornamental plants – especially if the soil has not yet frozen. To ensure successful rooting, it’s recommended to use the biostimulant HUMIROOT, which is enriched with humic and fulvic acids.

These compounds activate the root zone, reduce transplant stress, and help plants better absorb phosphorus and potassium even in cooler soil. HUMIROOT is particularly useful:

• after planting or transplanting,
• for weakened or stressed plants,
• after frost, waterlogging, or other stress factors.

Watering plants several times with this biostimulant strengthens the root system, helping them successfully overwinter, even in fluctuating weather conditions.

Revitalizing the Soil – the Foundation for the Next Season

After an intensive summer, soil often becomes depleted, so before winter it’s important to replenish it with organic matter. FRASS’ON organic fertilizer – a natural insect manure product rich in chitin, humic substances, microelements, and beneficial microorganisms – is ideal for this purpose.

This product:

• improves soil structure,
• stimulates beneficial microflora,
• increases humus content,
• and maintains soil vitality through winter.

By spreading FRASS’ON fertilizer in autumn and lightly incorporating it into the topsoil, microorganisms gradually decompose organic residues over winter – leaving the soil loose, fertile, and ready for the new growing season.

Protecting Plants from Cold and Moisture Fluctuations

In early October, it’s also important to take care of physical plant protection measures:

• Mulch the root zone – this helps retain heat and protects against sudden temperature drops.
• Spray pruned tree wounds with PROTECTOR 4TREE pruning sealant – it prevents drying, fungal infections, and frost damage.

Final Tasks Before Winter

Before the first hard frosts

• remove damaged leaves and plant debris,
• weed around root areas,
• shorten long shoots,
• and ensure that rainwater does not accumulate near roots.

These simple but essential steps help prevent disease spread and maintain balance in both soil and plants.

In summary, autumn is not a time for rest, but an investment in spring. By giving plants a final nutrient boost, strengthening their root systems, and revitalizing the soil, we ensure they stay strong and healthy through winter and recover quickly once temperatures rise.

💚 Granulated autumn fertilizers, HUMIROOT, and FRASS’ON are three reliable allies that help you finish your garden work professionally and prepare your plants for a calm and successful winter rest.